BY  ENGLAND'S  AID 


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G.A.HENTY 


OF  CALIF.  LIBRARY,  LOS  ANGELES 


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THE  LONDON  APPRENTICES  MAKE  FUN  OF  LIONEL  AND  GEOFFREY.— Page  40. 
Eng.  Aid.] 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID 


OB 


BY  G.  A.  HENTY, 

Author  of  By  Pike  and  Dykf,"  "  The  Lion  of  St.  Mark,"  u  Maori  and  Settbr? 
••  Bonnie  Prince  Charlie,"  "For  the  Temple,"  Etc. 


WITH  TEN  PAGE  ILLUSTRATIONS  B¥  ALFRED  PEAR.I& 


NEW  YORK 

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PUBLISHERS. 


HENTY  SCRIES  FOR  BOYS. 


UNIFORM  WITH  THIS  VOLUME. 

Bv  G.  A.  HENTY. 


Among  Malay  Pirates. 
Bonnie  Prince  Charlie. 
Boy  Knight,  The. 
Bravest  of  the  Brave,  The. 
By  England'?  Aid. 
By  Pike  and  Dyke. 
By  Right  of  Conquest. 
By  Sheer  Pluck. 
Captain  Bayley's  Heir. 
Cat  of  Bubastes,  T&e. 
Cornet  of  Horse.  The. 
Dragon  and  the  Raven. 
Facing  Death. 
Final  Reckoning,  A. 
For  Name  and  Fame. 
For  the  Temple. 
Friends,  Though  Divided. 
Golden  Canon /The. 
In  Freedom's  Cause. 
In  the  Reign  of  Terror. 
In  Times  of  Peril. 


Jack  Archer. 
Lion  of  St.  Mark,  The. 
Lioa  of  the  North,  Thfc 
Lost  Heir  The. 
Maori  and  Settler. 
One  of  the  28th. 
Orange  and  Green. 
Out  on  the  Pa.mpas. 
St.  George  for  England. 
Sturdy  and  Strong. 
Through  the  Fray. 
True  to  the  Old  Flag. 
Under  Drake's  Flag. 
With  Clive  in  India. 
With  Lee  in  Virginia, 
With  Wolfe  in  Canada, 
Young  Buglers,  The, 
Young  Carthaginian,  The. 
Young  Colonists,  The. 
Young  Franc-Tireurs,  The. 
Young  Midshipman,  The. 


thret 


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PREFACE 


MY  DEAR  LADS, 

In  my  preface  to  By  Pike  and  Dyke  I  promised  in  a 
future  story  to  deal  with  the  closing  events  of  the  "War  of 
Independence  in  Holland.  The  period  over  which  that 
war  extended  was  so  long,  and  the  incidents  were  so  nu 
merous  and  varied,  that  it  was  impossible  to  include  the 
whole  within  the  limit  of  a  single  book.  The  former 
volume  brought  the  story  of  the  struggle  down  to  the 
death  of  the  Prince  of  Orange  and  the  capture  of  Ant 
werp  ;  the  present  gives  the  second  phase  of  the  war, 
when  England,  who  had  long  unofficially  assisted  Holland, 
threw  herself  openly  into  the  struggle,  and  by  her  aid 
mainly  contributed  to  the  successful  issue  of  the  war.  In 
the  first  part  of  the  struggle  the  scene  lay  wholly  among 
the  low  lands  and  cities  of  Holland  and  Zeeland,  and  the 
war  was  strictly  a  defensive  one,  waged  against  overpower 
ing  odds.  After  England  threw  herself  into  the  strife  it 
assumed  far  wider  proportions,  and  the  independence  of  the 
Xetherlands  was  mainly  secured  by  the  defeat  and  destruc 
tion  of  the  great  Armada,  by  the  capture  of  Cadiz  and  the 
fatal  blow  thereby  struck  at  the  mercantile  prosperity  of 
Spain,  and  by  the  defeat  of  the  Holy  League  by  Henry  of 
Navarre,  aided  by  English  soldiers  and  English  gold.  For 
the  facts  connected  with  the  doings  of  Sir  Francis  Vere 
and  the  British  contingent  in  Holland,  I  have  depended 
much  upon  the  excellent  work  by  Mr.  Clement  Markham 
entitled  the  Fighting  Veres.  In  this  full  justice  is  done 


4  PItEFACE. 

to  the  great  English  general  and  his  followers,  and  it  is 
conclusively  shown  that  some  statements  to  the  disparage 
ment  of  Sir  Francis  Yere  by  Mr.  Motley  are  founded  upon 
a  misconception  of  the  facts.  Sir  Francis  Vere  was,  in 
the  general  opinion  of  the  time,  one  of  the  greatest  com 
manders  of  the  age,  and  more,  perhaps,  than  any  other 
man — -with  the  exception  of  the  Prince  of  Orange — con 
tributed  to  the  successful  issue  of  the  struggle  of  Holland 
to  throw  off  the  yoke  of  Spain. 

Yours  sincerely, 

G.  A.  HEKTY. 

NOTE. 

By  England's  Aid  is  indebted  to  John  Lothrop  Motley's  History 
of  the  United  Netherlands,  in  the  same  way  that  its  predecessor 
By  Pike  and  Dyke  is  to  the  Rise  of  the  Dutch  Republic.  The 
author  depends,  as  every  one  must  do  who  treats  of  this  period, 
either  in  romance  or  history,  upon  its  most  distinguished,  not  to 
say  its  sole  historian,  for  the  historical  data  on  which  his  work  is 
based  ;  and  youthful  readers  of  the  adventures  of  the  two  Eng 
lish  lads,  whose  thrilling  experiences  form  the  subject  of  the 
story,  may  readily  fill  out  the  historical  framework  of  the  fiction 
that  interests  them  by  turning  to  Motley's  classic,  where  they  will 
find  the  chronicle  of  actual  events  as  stimulating  and  inspiring 
as  the  record  of  Mr.  Henty's  imaginary  though  admirably  repre 
sentative  heroes. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER.  PAGE. 

I.  An  Excursion 7 

II.  A  Meeting  in  Chepe 26 

III.  In  the  Low  Country , 47 

IV.  The  Siege  of  Sluys 67 

V.  An  Heroic  Defense 85 

VI.  The  Loss  of  the  "  Susan  " 102 

VII.  A  Popish  Plot 120 

VIII.  The  Spanish  Armada 132 

IX.  The  Rout  of  the  Armada 149 

X.  The  War  in  Holland 165 

XL  In  Spain - 174 

XII.  Recruiting  their  Funds 191 

XIII.  The  Festa  at  Seville ,, 209 

XIV.  The  Surprise  of  Breda 226 

XV.  A  Slave  in  Barbary 244 

XVI.  The  Escape .......  261 

XVII.  A  Spanish  Merchant 278 

XVIII.  Ivry 200 

XIX.  Steenwyk 310 

XX.  Cadiz 326 

XXI.  The  Battle  of  Nieuport 343 

XXII.  Old  Friends 354 

XXIIL  The  Siege  of  Ostend 367 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID: 

OR,  THE  FREEING  OF  THE  NETHERLANDS. 
CHAPTER  I. 

AN    EXCURSION. 

"  AND  we  beseech  Thee,  0  Lord,  to  give  help  and  succor 
to  thy  servants  the  people  of  Holland,  and  to  deliver  them 
from  the  cruelties  and  persecutions  of  their  wicked  op 
pressors  ;  and  grant  Thy  blessing,  we  pray  Thee,  upon  the 
arms  of  our  soldiers  now  embarking  to  aid  them  in  their 
extremity."  These  were  the  words  with  which  the  Rev. 
John  Vickars,  rector  of  Hedingham,  concluded  the  family 
prayers  on  the  morning  of  December  6th,  1585. 

For  twenty  years  the  first  portion  of  this  prayer  had 
been  repeated  daily  by  him,  as  it  had  been  in  tens  of  thou 
sands  of  English  households  ;  for  since  the  people  of  the 
Netherlands  first  rose  against  the  Spanish  yoke  the  hearts 
of  the  Protestants  of  England  had  beat  warmly  in  their 
cause,  and  they  had  by  turns  been  moved  to  admiration  at 
the  indomitable  courage  with  which  the  Dutch  struggled 
for  independence  against  the  might  of  the  greatest  power 
in  Europe,  and  to  horror  and  indignation  at  the  pitiless 
cruelty  and  wholesale  massacres  by  which  the  Spaniards 
had  striven  to  stamp  out  resistance. 

From  the  first  the  people  of  England  would  gladly  have 

7 


g  B Y  ENGLAND '  S  AID. 

joined  in  the  fray,  and  made  common  cause  with  their  co 
religionists  ;  but  the  queen  and  her  counselors  had  been 
restrained  by  weighty  considerations  from  embarking  in 
such  a  struggle.  At  the  commencement  of  the  Avar  the 
power  of  Spain  overshadowed  all  Europe.  Her  infantry 
were  regarded  as  irresistible.  Italy  and  Germany  were 
virtually  her  dependencies,  and  England  was  but  a  petty 
power  beside  her.  Since  Agincourt  was  fought  we  had 
taken  but  little  part  in  wars  on  the  Continent.  The 
feudal  system  was  extinct  ;  we  had  neither  army  nor 
military  system  ;  and  the  only  Englishmen  with  the 
slightest  experience  of  war  were  those  who  had  gone 
abroad  to  seek  their  fortunes,  and  had  fought  in  the 
armies  of  one  or  other  of  the  continental  powers.  Xor 
were  we  yet  aware  of  our  naval  strength.  Drake  and 
Hawkins  and  the  other  buccaneers  had  not  yet  commenced 
their  private  war  with  Spain,  on  what  was  known  as  the 
Spanish  main — the  waters  of  the  West  Indian  Islands — 
and  no  one  dreamed  that  the  time  was  approaching  when 
England  would  be  able  to  hold  her  own  against  the 
strength  of  Spain  on  the  seat. 

Thus,  then,  whatever  the  private  sentiments  of  Elizabeth 
and  her  counselors,  they  shrank  from  engaging  England 
in  a  life  and  death  struggle  with  the  greatest  power  of  the 
time  ;  though  as  the  struggle  went  on  the  queen's  sym 
pathy  with  the  people  of  the  Netherlands  was  more  and 
more  openly  shown.  In  1572  she  was  present  at  a  parade 
of  three  hundred  volunteers  who  mustered  at  Greenwich 
under  Thomas  Morgan  and  Eoger  Williams  for  service  in 
the  Netherlands.  Sir  Humphrey  Gilbert,  half-brother  of 
Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  went  out  a  few  months  later  with  1500 
men,  and  from  that  time  numbers  of  English  volunteers 
continued  to  cross  the  seas  and  join  in  the  struggle  against 
the  Spaniards.  Nor  were  the  sympathies  of  the  queen 
confined  to  allowing  her  subjects  to  take  part  in  the  fight 
ing  i  for  she  sent  out  large  sums  of  money  to  the  Dutch, 


B  T  ENGLAND ' 8  AID.  9 

and  as  far  as  she  could,  without  openly  joining  them,  gave 
them  her  aid. 

Spain  remonstrated  continually  against  these  breaches 
of  neutrality,  while  the  Dutch  on  their  part  constantly 
implored  her  to  join  them  openly  ;  but  she  continued  to 
give  evasive  answers  to  both  parties  until  the  assassination 
of  William  of  Orange  on  10th  July,  1584,  sent  a  thrill  of 
horror  through  England,  and  determined  the  queen  and 
her  advisers  to  take  a  more  decisive  part  in  the  struggle. 
In  the  following  June  envoys  from  the  States  arrived  hi 
London,  and  were  received  with  great  honor,  and  a  treaty 
between  the  two  countries  was  agreed  upon.  Three 
months  later  the  queen  published  a  declaration  to  her  peo* 
pie  and  to  Europe  at  large,  setting  forth  the  terrible  per 
secutions  and  cruelties  to  which  "  our  next  neighbors,  the 
people  of  the  Low  Countries,"  the  special  allies  and  friends 
of  England,  had  been  exposed,  and  stating  her  deter 
mination  to  aid  the  in  to  recover  their  liberty.  The 
proclamation  concluded  :  "  We  mean  not  hereby  to  make 
particular  profit  to  ourself  and  our  people,  only  desiring  to 
obtain,  by  God's  favor,  for  the  Countries,  a  deliverance  of 
them  from  war  by  the  Spaniards  and  foreigners,  with  a 
restitution  of  their  ancient  liberties  and  government." 

Sir  Thomas  Cecil  was  sent  out  at  once  as  governor  of 
Brill,  and  Sir  Philip  Sidney  as  governor  of  Flushing,  these 
towns  being  handed  over  to  England  as  guaranties  by  the 
Dutch.  These  two  officers,  with  bodies  of  troops  to  serve 
as  garrisons,  took  charge  of  their  respective  fortresses  in 
November.  Orders  were  issued  for  the  raising  of  an  army 
for  service  in  the  Low  Countries,  and  Dudley,  Earl  of 
Leicester,  was  appointed  by  the  queen  to  its  command. 
The  decision  of  the  queen  was  received  with  enthusiasm 
in  England  as  well  as  in  Holland,  and  although  the  Earl 
of  Leicester  was  not  personally  popular,  volunteers  nocked 
to  his  standard. 

Breakfast  at  Hedingham  Rectory  had  been  set  at  an 


10  BY  ENGLA ND ' 8  AID. 

earlier  hour  than  usual  on  the  6th  of  December,  1585. 
There  was  an  unusual  stir  and  excitement  in  the  village, 
for  young  Mr.  Francis  Vere,  cousin  of  the  Earl  of  Oxford, 
lord  of  Hedingham  and  of  all  the  surrounding  country, 
was  to  start  that  morning  to  ride  to  Colchester,  there  to 
join  the  Earl  of  Leicester  and  his  following  as  a  volunteer. 
As  soon  as  breakfast  was  over  young  Geoffrey  and  Lionel 
Vickars,  boys  of  fourteen  and  thirteen  years  old,  proceeded 
to  the  castle  close  by,  and  there  mounted  the  horses  pro- 
Tided  for  them,  and  rode  with  Francis  Vere  to  Colchester. 

Francis,  who  was  at  this  time  twenty -five  years  old,  was 
accompanied  by  his  elder  brother,  John,  and  his  two 
younger  brothers,  Robert  and  Horace,  and  by  many  other 
friends  ;  and  it  was  a  gay  train  that  cantered  down  the 
valley  of  the  Colne  to  Colchester.  That  ancient  town  was 
all  astir.  Gentlemen  had  ridden  in  from  all  the  country 
seats  and  manors  for  many  miles  round,  and  the  quiet 
streets  were  alive  with  people.  At  two  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon  news  arrived  that  the  earl  was  approaching,  and, 
headed  by  the  bailiffs  of  the  town  in  scarlet  gowns,  the 
multitude  moved  out  to  meet  the  earl  on  the  Lexden  road. 
Presently  a  long  train  was  seen  approaching  ;  for  with 
Leicester  were  the  earl  of  Essex,  Lords  North  and  Audley, 
Sir  William  Russell,  Sir  Thomas  Shirley,  and  other  volun 
teers,  to  the  number  of  five  hundred  horse.  All  were 
gayly  attired  and  caparisoned,  and  the  cortege  presented  a 
most  brilliant  appearance.  The  multitude  cheered  lustily, 
the  bailiffs  presented  an  address,  and  followed  by  his  own 
train  and  by  the  gentlemen  who  had  assembled  to  meet 
him,  the  earl  rode  into  the  town.  He  himself  took  up 
his  abode  at  the  house  of  Sir  Thomas  Lucas,  while  his 
followers  were  distributed  among  the  houses  of  the  towns 
folk.  Two  hours  after  the  arrival  of  the  earl,  the  party 
from  Iledingham  took  leave  of  Mr.  Francis  Vere. 

ci Good-bye,  lads,"  he  said  to  the  young  Vickars.  "I 
trill  keep  my  promise,  never  fear  ;  and  if  the  struggle  goes 


S  T  ENGLAND '  8  AID.  11 

on  till  you  are  old  enough  to  cany  arms,  I  will,  if  I  am 
still  alive,  take  you  under  my  leading  and  teach  you  the 
art  of  war/' 

Upon  the  following  day  the  Earl  of  Leicester  and  his 
following  rode  to  Manningtree,  and  took  boat  down  the 
Stour  to  Harwich,  where  the  fleet,  under  Admiral  Wil 
liam  Borough,  was  lying.  Here  they  embarked,  and  on 
the  9th  of  December  sailed  for  Flushing,  where  they  were 
joined  by  another  fleet  of  sixty  ships  from  the  Thames. 

More  than  a  year  passed.  The  English  had  fought 
sturdily  in  Holland.  Mr.  Francis  Vere  had  been  with 
his  cousin,  Lord  Willoughby,  who  was  in  command  of 
Bergen-op-Zoom,  and  had  taken  part  in  the  first  brush  with 
the  enemy,  when  a  party  of  the  garrison  marched  out  and 
attacked  a  great  convoy  of  four  hundred  and  fifty  wag 
ons  going  to  Antwerp,  killed  three  hundred  of  the  enemy, 
took  eighty  prisoners,  and  destroyed  all  their  wagons 
except  twenty-seven,  which  they  carried  into  the  town. 
Leicester  provisioned  the  town  of  Grave,  which  was  be 
sieged  by  the  Duke  of  Parma,  the  Spanish  commander-in- 
chief.  Axel  was  captured  by  surprise,  the  volunteers 
swimming  across  the  moat  at  night,  and  throwing  open 
the  gates.  Doesburg  was  captured,  and  Zutphen  besieged. 

Parma  marched  to  its  relief,  and,  under  cover  of  a 
thick  fog,  succeeded  in  getting  close  at  hand  before  it  was 
known  that  he  was  near.  Then  the  English  knights  and 
volunteers,  200  in  number,  mounted  in  hot  haste  and 
charged  a  great  Spanish  column  of  5000  horse  and  foot. 
They  were  led  by  Sir  William  Russell,  under  whom  were 
Lords  Essex,  North,  Audley,  and  Willoughby,  behind  the 
last  of  whom  rode  Francis  Vere.  For  two  hours  this  little 
band  of  horse  fought  desperately  in  the  midst  of  the 
Spanish  cavalry,  and  forced  them  at  last  to  fall  back,  but 
were  themselves  obliged  to  retreat  when  the  Spanish  in 
fantry  came  up  and  opened  fire  upon  them.  The  English 
loss  was  34  killed  and  wounded,  while  250  of  the  Spaniards 


12  B  Y  ENGLAND '  5  AID. 

were  slain,  and  three  of  their  colors  captured.  Among 
the  wounded  on  the  English  side  was  the  very  noble  knight 
Sir  Philip  Sidney,  who  was  shot  by  a  inusket-ball,  and 
died  three  weeks  afterwards. 

The  successes  of  the  English  during  these  two  years  were 
counterbalanced  by  the  cowardly  surrender  of  Grave  by  us 
governor,  and  by  the  treachery  of  Sir  William  Stanley, 
governor  of  Deventer,  and  of  Roland  Yorke,  who  com 
manded  the  garrisons  of  the  two  forts  known  as  the  Zut- 
phen  Sconces.  Both  these  officers  turned  traitors  and 
delivered  up  the  posts  they  commanded  to  the  Spaniards. 
Their  conduct  not  only  caused  great  material  loss  to  the 
allies,  but  it  gave  rise  to  much  bad  feeling  between  the 
English  and  Dutch,  the  latter  complaining  that  they  re 
ceived  but  half-hearted  assistance  from  the  English. 

It  was  not  surprising,  however,  that  Leicester  was  unable 
to  effect  more  with  the  little  force  under  his  command,  for 
it  was  necessary  not  only  to  raise  soldiers,  but  to  invent  regu 
lations  and  discipline.  The  Spanish  system  was  adopted, 
and  this,  the  first  English  regular  army,  was  trained 
and  appointed  precisely  upon  the  system  of  the  foe  with 
whom  they  were  fighting.  It  was  no  easy  task  to  convert 
a  body  of  brave  knights  and  gentlemen  and  sturdy  country 
men  into  regular  troops,  and  to  give  them  the  advantages 
conferred  by  discipline  and  order.  But  the  work  was  ren 
dered  the  less  difficult  by  the  admixture  of  the  volunteers 
who  had  been  bravely  fighting  for  ten  years  under  Morgan, 
Rowland  Williams,  John  Morris,  and  others.  These  had 
had  a  similar  experience  on  their  first  arrival  in  Holland. 
Several  times  in  their  early  encounters  with  the  Spaniards 
the  undisciplined  young  troops  had  behaved  badly  ;  but 
they  had  gained  experience  from  their  reverses,  and  had 
proved  themselves  fully  capable  of  standing  in  line  even 
against  the  splendid  pikemen  of  Spain. 

While  the  English  had  been  drilling  and  fighting  in 
Holland  things  had  gone  oa  quietly  at  Hedingham.  The 


S  Y  ENGLAND '  8  AID.  13 

village  srands  near  the  head  waters  of  the  Colne  and  Stour, 
in  a  rich  and  beautiful  country.  On  a  rising  ground  be 
hind  it  stood  the  castle  of  the  Veres,  which  was  approached 
from  the  village  by  a  drawbridge  across  the  moat.  There 
were  few  more  stately  piles  in  England  than  the  seat  of 
the  Earl  of  Oxford.  On  one  side  of  the  great  quadrangle 
was  the  gate-house  and  a  lofty  tower,  on  another  the  great 
hall  and  chapel  and  the  kitchens,  on  a  third  the  suites 
of  apartments  of  the  officials  and  retinue.  In  rear  were 
the  stables  and  granaries,  the  butts  and  tennis-court,  be 
yond  which  was  the  court  of  the  tournaments. 

In  the  center  of  the  quadrangle  rose  the  great  keep, 
which  still  stands,  the  finest  relic  of  Norman  civil  archi 
tecture  in  England.  It  possessed  great  strength,  and  at 
the  same  time  was  richly  ornamented  with  carving.  The 
windows,  arches,  and  fireplaces  were  decorated  with  chev 
ron  carvings.  A  beautiful  spiral  pattern  enriched  the 
doorway  and  pillars  of  the  staircase  leading  to  galleries 
cut  in  the  thickness  of  the  wall,  with  arched  openings 
looking  into  the  hall  below.  The  outlook  from  the  keep 
extended  over  the  parishes  of  Castle  Hedingham,  Sybil 
Iledingham,  Kirby,  and  Tilbury,  all  belonging  to  the 
Veres — whose  property  extended  far  down  the  pretty  valley 
of  the  Stour — with  the  stately  Hall  of  Long  Melford,  the 
Priory  of  Clare,  and  the  little  town  of  Lavenham  ;  indeed 
the  whole  country  was  dotted  with  the  farmhouses  and 
manors  of  the  Veres.  Seven  miles  down  the  valley  of  the 
Colne  lies  the  village  of  Earl's  Colne,  with  the  priory, 
where  ten  of  the  earls  of  Oxford  lie  buried  with  their 
wives. 

The  parish  church  of  Castle  Hedingham  stood  at  the  end 
of  the  little  village  street,  and  the  rectory  of  Mr.  Vickars 
was  close  by.  The  party  gathered  at  morning  prayers  con 
sisted  cf  Mr.  Vickars  and  his  wife,  their  two  sons,  Geof 
frey  and  Lionel,  and  the  maid-servants,  Ruth  and  Alice. 
The  boys,  now  fourteen  and  fifteen  years  old  respectively, 


14  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

were  strong-grown  and  sturdy  lads,  and  their  lather  haa 
long  since  owned  with  a  sigh  that  neither  of  them  was 
likely  to  follow  his  profession  and  fill  the  pulpit  at  Hed- 
ingham  Church  when  he  was  gone.  Nor  was  this  to  be 
wondered  at,  for  lying  as  it  did  at  the  entrance  to  the  great 
caatle  of  the  Veres,  the  street  of  the  little  village  was  con 
stantly  full  of  armed  men,  and  resounded  with  the  tramp 
of  the  horses  of  richly-dressed  knights  and  gay  ladies. 

Here  came  great  politicians,  who  sought  the  friendship 
and  support  of  the  powerful  earls  of  Oxford,  nobles  and 
knights,  their  kinsmen  and  allies,  gentlemen  from  the  wide- 
spreading  manors  of  the  family,  stout  fighting-men  who 
wished  to  enlist  under  their  banner.  At  night  the  sound 
of  music  from  the  castle  told  of  gay  entertainments  and 
festive  dances,  while  by  day  parties  of  knights  and  ladies 
with  dogs  and  falcons  sallied  out  to  seek  sport  over  the 
wide  domains.  It  could  hardly  be  expected,  then,  that 
lads  of  spirit,  brought  up  in  the  midst  of  sights  and  sounds 
like  these,  should  entertain  a  thought  of  settling  down  to 
the  tranquil  life  of  the  church.  As  long  as  they  could  re 
member,  their  minds  had  been  fixed  upon  being  soldiers, 
and  fighting  some  day  under  the  banner  of  the  Veres. 
They  had  been  a  good  deal  in  the  castle  ;  for  Mr.  Vickars 
had  assisted  Arthur  Golding,  the  learned  instructor  to 
young  Edward  Vere,  the  17th  earl,  who  was  born  in  1550, 
and  had  succeeded  to  the  title  at  the  age  of  twelve,  and  he 
had  afterwards  been  tutor  to  the  earl's  cousins,  John, 
Francis,  Kobert,  and  Horace,  the  sons  of  Geoffrey,  fourth 
son  of  the  15th  earl.  These  boys  were  born  in  1558, 
1560,  1502,  and  1565,  and  lived  with  their  mother  at  Kir- 
by  Hall,  a  mile  from  the  castle  of  Hedingham. 

The  earl  was  much  attached  to  his  old  instructor,  and  when 
he  was  at  the  castle  there  was  scarce  a  day  but  an  invita 
tion  came  down  for  Mr.  Vickars  and  his  wife  to  be  present 
either  at  banquet  or  entertainment.  The  boys  were  free 
to  come  and  go  ae  the/  chose,  and  the  earl's  men-at-arms 


BF  ENGLAND'S  AID.  15 

nad  orders  to  afford  them  all  necessary  teaching  m  the  use 
of  weapons. 

Mr.  Vickars  considered  it  his  duty  to  accept  the  inrita- 
tions  of  his  friend  and  patron,  but  he  sorely  grudged  the 
time  so  abstracted  from  his  favorite  books.  It  was,  indeed, 
a  relief  to  him  when  the  earl,  whose  love  of  profusion  and 
luxury  made  serious  inroads  even  into  the  splendid  pos 
sessions  of  the  Veres,  went  up  to  court,  and  peace  and 
quietness  reigned  in  the  castle.  The  rector  was  fonder  <  r 
going  to  Kirby,  where  John,  Geoffrey's  eldest  son,  lived 
quietly  and  soberly,  his  three  younger  brothers  having, 
when  mere  boys,  embraced  the  profession  of  arms,  placing 
themselves  under  the  care  of  the  good  soldier  Sir  William 
Browne,  who  had  served  for  many  years  in  the  Low  Coun 
tries.  They  occasionally  returned  home  for  a  time,  and 
were  pleased  to  take  notice  of  the  sons  of  their  old  tutor, 
although  Geoffrey  was  six  years  junior  to  Horace,  the 
youngest  of  the  brothers. 

The  young  Vickars  had  much  time  to  themselves,  much 
more  indeed  than  their  mother  considered  to  be  good  for 
them.  After  their  breakfast,  which  was  finished  by  eight 
o'clock,  their  father  took  them  for  an  hour  and  heard  the 
lessons  they  had  prepared  the  day  before,  and  gave  them 
instruction  in  the  Latin  tongue.  Then  they  were  supposed 
to  study  till  the  bell  rang  for  dinner  at  twelve  ;  but  there  was 
no  one  to  see  that  they  did  so,  for  their  father  seldom  came 
outside  his  library  door,  and  their  mother  was  busy  with 
her  domestic  duties  and  in  dispensing  simples  to  the  poor 
people,  who,  now  that  the  monasteries  were  closed,  had  no 
medical  aid  save  that  which  they  got  from  the  wives  of 
the  gentry  or  ministers,  or  from  the  wise  women,  of  whom 
there  was  generally  one  in  every  village. 

Therefore,  after  half  an  hour,  or  at  most  an  hour,  spent 
in  getting  up  their  tasks,  the  books  would  be  thrown  aside, 
and  the  boys  be  off,  either  to  the  river  or  up  to  the  castle 
to  practice  sword-play  with  the  men-at  arms,  or  to  the 


16  B  Y  ENGLAND '  S  AIL. 

butts  with  their  bows,  or  to  the  rabbit-warren,  where  they 
had  leave  from  the  earl  to  gt>  with  their  dogs  whenever 
they  pleased.  Their  long  excursions  were,  however,  gen 
erally  deferred  until  after  dinner,,  as  they  were  then  free 
until  supper-time,  and  even  if  they  did  not  return  after 
that  hour  Mrs.  Vickars  did  not  chide  them  unduly,  being 
a;i  easy-going  woman,  and  always  ready  to  make  excuses 
for  them. 

There  were  plenty  of  fish  in  the  river  ;  and  the  boys 
knew  tiio  pools  they  loved  best,  and  often  returned  with 
their  baskets  well  filled.  There  were  otters  on  its  banks, 
too  ;  but,  though  they  sometimes  chased  these  pretty  creat 
ures,  Tan  and  Turk,  their  two  dogs,  knew  as  well  as 
their  masters  that  they  had  but  small  chance  of  catching 
them.  Sometimes  they  would  take  a  boat  at  the  bridge 
and  drop  down  the  stream  for  miles,  and  once  or  twice 
had  even  gone  down  to  Bricklesey  l  at  the  mouth  of  the 
river.  This,  however,  was  an  expedition  that  they  never 
performed  alone,  making  it  each  time  in  charge  of  Muster 
Lirriper,  who  owned  a  flat  barge,  and  took  produce  down 
to  Bricklesey,  there  to  be  transhipped  into  coasters  bound 
for  London.  He  had  a  married  daughter  there,  and  it  was 
at  her  house  the  boys  had  slept  when  they  went  there  ;  for 
the  journey  down  and  up  again  was  too  long  to  be  per 
formed  in  a  single  day. 

But  this  was  not  the  only  distant  expedition  they  had 
made,  for  they  had  once  gone  down  the  Stour  as  far  as 
Harwich  with  their  father  when  he  was  called  thither  on 
business.  To  them  Harwich  with  its  old  walls  and  the 
houses  crowded  up  within  them,  and  its  busy  port  with 
vessels  coming  in  and  going  out,  was  most  delightful,  and 
they  always  talked  about  that  expedition  as  one  of  the  most 
pleasant  recollections  of  their  lives. 

After  breakfast  was  over  on  1st  of  May,  1587,  and  they 
had  done  their  lessons  with  their  father,  and  had  worked 
1  Now  Brightlingsea. 


E Y  ENGLAND ' 8  AID.  17 

for  an  hour  by  themselves,  the  boys  put  by  their  books  and 
strolled  down  the  village  to  the  bridge.  There  as  usual 
stood  their  friend  Master  Lirriper  with  his  hands  deep  in 
Ids  pockets,  a  place  and  position  in  which  he  was  sure  to 
be  found  when  not  away  in  his  barge. 

"  Good-morning,  Master  Lirriper/' 

"Good-morning,  Master  Geoffrey  and  Master  Lionel." 

"  So  you  are  not  down  the  river  to-day  ?" 

"  No,  sir.  I  am  going  to-morrow,  and  this  time  I  shall 
be  away  four  or  five  days — maybe  even  a  week." 

"  Shall  you  ?"  the  boys  exclaimed  in  surprise.  "Why, 
what  are  you  going  to  do  ?  " 

"  I  am  going  round  to  London  in  my  nephew  Joe  Cham 
bers'  craft." 

"Are  you  really  ?"  Geoffrey  exclaimed.  "I  wish  we 
were  going  with  you.  Don't  you  think  you  could  take  us, 
Master  Lirriper  ?  " 

The  bargeman  looked  clown  into  the  water  and  frowned. 
He  Avas  slow  of  speech,  but  as  the  minutes  went  on  and  he 
did  not  absolutely  refuse  the  boys  exchanged  glances  of 
excitement  and  hope. 

"I  dunno  how  that  might  be,  young  sirs,"  John  Lirri 
per  said  slowly,  after  long  cogitation.  "I  dus-say  my 
nephew  would  have  no  objection,  but  what  would  parson 
say  about  it  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  don't  think  he  would  object,"  Geoffrey  said. 
"  If  you  go  up  and  ask  him,  Master  Lirriper,  and  say  that 
you  will  take  care  of  us,  you  know,  I  don't  see  why  he 
should  say  no." 

"  Like  enough  you  would  be  ill,"  John  Lirriper  said 
after  another  long  pause.  "  It's  pretty  rough  some 
times." 

"  Oh,  we  shouldn't  mind  that,"  Lionel  protested.  "  We 
should  like  to  see  the  waves  and  to  be  in  a  real  ship." 

"  It's  nothing  much  of  a  ship,"  the  boatman  said.     "  She 
is  a  ketch  of  about  ten  tons  and  curries  three  hands." 
a 


18  B  T  ENGLAND '  8  AID. 

"  Oh,  we  don't  care  how  small  she  is  if  we  can  only  go 
in  her  ;  and  you  would  be  able  to  show  us  London,  and  we 
might  even  see  the  queen.  Oh,  do  come  up  with  us  and 
ask  father,  Master  Lirriper." 

"  Perhaps  parson  wouldn't  be  pleased,  young  sirs,  and 
might  say  I  was  putting  wandering  thoughts  into  your 
heads  ;  and  Mistress  Yickars  might  think  it  a  great  liberty 
on  my  part." 

"  Oh,  no,  she  wouldn't,  Master  Lirriper.  Besides,  we 
will  say  we  asked  yon." 

"  But  suppose  any  harm  comes  to  you,  what  would  thej 
say  to  me  then  ?  " 

"  Oh,  there's  no  fear  of  any  harm  coming  to  us.  Be 
sides,  in  another  year  or  two  we  mean  to  go  over  to  th 
Low  Countries  and  fight  the  Spaniards,  and  what's  a  voy 
age  to  London  to  that  ?  " 

"Well,  I  will  think  about  it,"  John  Lirriper  said  cau 
tiously. 

"  No  no,  Master  Lirriper  ;  if  you  get  thinking  about  it 
it  will  never  be  done.  Do  come  up  with  us  at  once,"  and 
each  of  them  got  hold  of  one  of  the  boatman's  arms. 

"  Well,  the  parson  can  but  say  no,"  he  said,  as  he  suf 
fered  himself  to  be  dragged  away.  "  And  I  don't  say  as 
it  isn't  reasonable  that  you  should  like  to  see  something  of 
the  world,  young  sirs  ;  but  I  don't  know  how  the  parson 
will  take  it." 

Mr.  Vickars  looked  up  irritably  from  his  books  when  the: 
servant  came  in  and  said  that  Master  Lirriper  wished  to 
see  him. 

"What  does  he  want  at  this  hour  ?"  he  said.  "You 
know,  Ruth,  I  never  see  people  before  dinner.  Any  time 
between  that  and  supper  I  am  at  their  service,  but  it's  too 
bad  being  disturbed  now." 

"I  told  him  so,  sir;  but  Master  Geoffrey  and  Master 
Lionel  were  with  him,  and  they  said  he  wanted  particular 
to  see  you,  and  they  wanted  particular  too." 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  IS 

The  clergyman  sighed  as  he  put  his  book  down. 

"  If  Geoffrey  and  Lionel  have  concerned  themselves  in 
the  matter,  Ruth,  I  suppose  I  must  see  the  man  ;  but  it's 
very  hard  being  disturbed  like  this.  Well,  Muster  Lirri- 
per,  what  is  it  ? "  he  asked,  as  the  boatman  accompanied 
by  Geoffrey  and  Lionel  entered  the  room.  Master  Lir- 
riper  twirled  his  hat  in  his  hand.  Words  did  not  come 
easily  to  him  at  the  best  of  times,  and  this  was  a  business 
that  demanded  thought  and  care.  Long  before  he  had 
time  to  fix  upon  an  appropriate  form  of  words  Geoffrey 
broke  in  : 

"  This  is  what  it  is,  father.  Master  Lirriper  is  going 
down  the  river  to  Bricklesey  to-morrow,  and  then  he  is 
going  on  board  his  nephew's  ship.  She  is  a  ketch,  and  she 
carries  ten  tons,  though  I  don't  know  what  it  is  she  car 
ries  ;  and  she's  going  to  London,  and  he  is  going  in  her, 
and  he  says  if  you  will  let  him  he  will  take  us  with  him. 

*/  •/ 

and  will  show  us  London,  and  take  great  care  of  us.  It 
will  be  glorious,  father,  if  yon  will  only  let  us  go." 

Mr.  Vickars  looked  blankly  as  Geoffrey  poured  out  his 
torrent  of  words.  His  mind  was  still  full  of  the  book  he 
had  been  reading,  and  he  hardly  took  in  the  meaning  of 
Geoffrey's  words. 

"  Going  in  a  ketch  !  "  he  repeated.  "  Going  to  catch 
something,  I  suppose  you  mean  ?  Do  you  mean  he  is 
going  fishing  ?  " 

"  No,  father, — going  in  a  ketch.  A  ketch  is  a  sort  of 
ship,  father,  though  I  don't  quite  know  what  sort  of  ship. 
What  sort  of  ship  is  a  ketch,  Master  Lirriper  ?  " 

"  A  ketch  is  a  two-masted  craft,  Master  Geoffrey,"  John 
Lirriper  said.  "  She  carries  a  big  mizzen  sail." 

"  There,  you  see,  father,"  Geoffrey  said  triumphantly  ; 
"  she  carries  a  big  mizzen  sail.  That's  what  she  is,  you 
see  ;  and  he  is  going  to  show  us  London,  and  will  take  great 
care  of  us  if  you  will  let  us  go  with  him." 

"Do  you  mean,  Master  Lirriper,"  Mr.  Vickars  asked 


20  I?r 

slowly,  "  that  you  are  going  to  London  in  some  sort  ox 
ship,  and  want  to  take  my  sons  with  you  ?  " 

"  Well,  sir,  I  am  going  to  London,  and  the  young 
masters  seemed  to  think  that  they  would  like  to  go  with 
me,  if  so  be  you  would  have  no  objection." 

"  I  don't  know,"  Mr.  Vickars  said.  "It  is  a  long  pas 
sage,  Master  Lirriper  ;  and,  as  I  have  heard,  often  a  stormy 
one.  I  don't  think  my  wife — " 

"  Oh,  yes,  father,"  Lionel  broke  in.  "  If  you  say  yes, 
mother  is  sure  to  say  yes ;  she  always  does,  you  know. 
And,  you  see,  it  will  be  a  great  thing  for  us  to  see  London. 
Every  one  else  seems  to  have  seen  London,  and  I  am  sure 
that  it  would  do  us  good.  And  we  might  even  see  the 
queen." 

"  I  think  that  they  would  be  comfortable,  sir,"  John 
Lirriper  put  in.  "  You  see,  my  nephew's  wife  is  daughter 
of  a  citizen,  one  Master  Swindon,  a  ship's  chandler,  and 
he  said  there  would  be  a  room  there  for  me,  and  they 
would  make  me  heartily  welcome.  Now,  you  see,  sir,  the 
young  masters  could  have  that  room,  and  I  could  very  well 
sleep  on  board  the  ketch  ;  and  they  would  be  out  of  all 
sort  of  mischief  there." 

"  That  would  be  a  very  good  plan  certainly,  Master 
Lirriper.  Well,  well,  I  don't  know  what  to  say." 

"  Say  yes,  father,"  Geoffrey  said  as  he  saw  Mr.  Vickars 
glance  anxiously  at  the  book  he  left  open.  "  If  you  say 
yes,  you  see  it  will  be  a  grand  thing  for  you,  our  being 
away  for  a  week  with  nothing  to  disturb  you." 

"Well,  well,"  Mr.  Vickars  said,  "you  must  ask  your 
mother.  If  she  makes  no  objection,  then  I  suppose  you 
can  go,"  and  Mr.  Vickars  hastily  took  up  his  book  again. 

The  boys  ran  off  to  the  kitchen,  where  their  mother  was 
superintending  the  brewing  of  some  broth  for  a  sick 
woman  down  the  village. 

"Mother!"  Geoffrey  exclaimed,  "Master  Lirriper's 
going  to  London  in  a  ketch — a  ship  with  a  big  mizzen  sail, 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  2i 

you  know — aiid  he  has  offered  to  take  us  with  him  and 
show  us  London.  And  father  has  said  yes,  and  it's  all 
settled  if  you  have  no  objection ;  and  of  course  you 
haven't." 

"  Going  to  London,  Geoffrey  \"  Mrs.  Vicars  exclaimed 
aghast.  "  I  never  heard  of  such  a  thing.  Why,  like 
enough  you  will  be  drowned  on  the  way  and  never  come 
back  again.  Your  father  must  be  mad  to  think  of  such  a 
tiling." 

"  Oh,  no,  mother  ;  I  am  sure  it  will  do  us  a  lot  of  good. 
And  we  may  sea  -jhe  queen,  mother.  And  as  for  drown 
ing,  why,  we  can  both  swim  ever  so  far.  Besides,  people 
don't  get  drowned  going  to  London.  Do  they,  Master 
Li  r riper  ?  " 

John  was  standing  bashfully  at  the  door  of  the  kitchen. 
"  Well,  not  as  a  rule,  Master  Geoffrey,"  he  replied. 
'•They  comes  and  they  goes,  them  that  are  used  to  it, 
maybe  a  hundred  times  without  anything  happening  to 
them." 

'•'  There  !  You  hear  that,  mother  ?  They  come  and  go 
hundreds  of  times.  Oh,  I  am  sure  you  are  not  going  to 
say  no.  That  would  be  too  bad  when  father  has  agreed  to 
it.  J^ow,  mother,  please  tell  Ruth  to  run  away  at  once 
and  get  a  wallet  packed  with  our  things.  Of  course  we 
shall  want  our  best  clothes  ;  because  people  dress  finely  in 
London,  and  it  would  never  do  if  we  saw  the  queen  and 
AVC  hadn't  our  best  doublets  on,  for  she  would  think  that 
we  didn't  know  what  was  seemly  down  at  Hedingham." 

"  Well,  my  dears,  of  course  if  it  is  all  settled — " 

"  Oh,  yes,  mother,  it  is  quite  all  settled." 

"  Then  it's  no  use  my  saying  anything  more  about  it, 
but  I  think  your  father  might  have  consulted  me  before 
he  gave  his  consent  to  your  going  on  such  a  hazardous 
journey  as  this." 

"  He  did  want  to  consult  you,  mother.  But  then,  you 
see.  he  wanted  to  consult  blV  ^ooks  even  more,  and  ho 


22  B  Y  ENGLAND  ^S  AID. 

knew  very  well  that  you  would  agree  with  him  ;  and  you 
know  you  would  too.  So  please  don't  say  anything  more 
about  it,  but  let  Ruth  run  upstairs  and  see  to  our  things 
at  once.  There,  you  see,  Master  Lirriper,  it  is  all  settled. 
And  what  time  do  you  start  to-morrow  ?  We  will  be  there 
half  an  hour  before,  anyhow." 

"  I  shall  go  at  seven  from  the  bridge.  Then  I  shall  just 
catch  the  turn  of  the  tide  and  get  to  Bricklesey  in  good 
time." 

"  I  never  did  see  such  boys/'  Mrs.  Yickars  said  when 
John  Lirriper  had  gone  on  his  way.  "  As  for  your  father, 
I  am  surprised  at  him  in  countenancing  you.  You  will  be 
running  all  sorts  of  risks.  You  may  be  drowned  on  the 
way,  or  killed  in  a  street  brawl,  or  get  mixed  up  in  a  plot. 
There  is  no  saying  what  may  not  happen.  Arid  here  it 
is  all  settled  before  I  have  even  time  to  think  about  it, 
which  is  most  inconsiderate  of  your  father." 

"  Oh,  we  shall  get  back  again  without  any  harm,  mother. 
And  as  to  getting  killed  in  a  street  brawl,  Lionel  and  I  can 
use  our  hangers  as  well  as  most  of  them.  Besides,  nothing 
of  that  sort  is  going  to  happen  to  us.  Now,  mother, 
please  let  Ruth  go  at  once,  and  tell  her  to  put  up  our  puce 
doublets  that  we  had  for  the  jousting  at  the  castle,  and 
our  red  hose  and  our  dark  green  cloth  slashed  trunks." 

"  There  is  plenty  of  time  for  that,  Geoffrey,  as  you  are 
not  going  until  to-morrow.  Besides,  I  can't  spare  Ruth 
now,  but  she  shall  see  about  it  after  dinner." 

There  was  little  sleep  for  the  boys  that  night.  A  visit 
to  London  had  long  been  one  of  their  wildest  ambitions, 
and  they  could  scarcely  believe  that  thus  suddenly  and 
without  preparation  it  was  about  to  take  place.  Their 
father  had  some  time  before  promised  that  he  would  some 
day  make  request  to  one  or  other  of  the  young  Veres  to  al 
low  them  to  ride  to  London  in  his  suite,  but  the  present 
seemed  to  them  an  even  more  delightful  plan.  There 
would  be  the  pleasure  of  the  voyage,  and  moreover  it  would 


B  Y  ENGLAND ' 5  AID.  23 

be  much  more  lively  for  them  to  be  able  to  Bee  London 
under  the  charge  of  John  Lirriper  than  to  be  subject  to 
the  ceremonial  and  restraint  that  would  be  enforced  in  the 
household  of  the  Veres.  They  were  then  at  the  appointed 
place  a  full  hour  before  the  time  named,  with  wallets  con 
taining  their  clothes,  and  a  basket  of  provisions  that  their 
mother  had  prepared  for  them.  Having  stowed  these  away 
in  the  little  cabin,  they  walked  up  and  down  impatiently 
until  Master  Lirriper  himself  appeared. 

"You  are  up  betimes,  my  young  masters/*  the  boatman 
said.  "  The  church  has  not  yet  struck  seven  o'clock. " 

"  We  have  been  here  ever  so  long,  Master  Lirriper.  We 
could  not  sleep  much  last  night,  and  got  up  when  it 
chimed  five,  being  afraid  thai  we  might  drop  off  to  sleep 
and  be  late." 

"  Well,  we  shall  not  be  long  before  we  are  off.  Here 
comes  my  man  Dick,  and  the  tide  is  just  on  the  turn.  The 
sky  looks  bright,  and  the  weather  promises  well.  I  will 
just  go  round  to  the  cottage  and  fetch  up  my  things,  and 
then  we  shall  be  ready/* 

In  ten  minutes  they  pushed  off  from  the  shore.  John 
and  his  man  got  out  long  poles  shod  with  iron,  and  with 
these  set  to  work  to  punt  the  barge  along.  Now  that  they 
were  fairly  on  their  way  the  boys  quieted  down,  and  took 
their  seats  on  the  sacks  of  flour  with  which  the  boat  was 
laden,  and  watched  the  objects  on  the  bank  as  the  boat 
made  her  way  quietly  along. 

Halstead  was  the  first  place  passed.  This  was  the 
largest  town  near  Hediugham,  and  was  a  place  of  much 
importance  in  their  eyes.  Then  they  passed  Stanstead  Hall 
and  Earl's  Colne  on  their  right,  Colne  Wake  on  their  left, 
and  Chapel  Parish  on  their  right.  Then  there  was  a  long 
stretch  without  any  large  villages,  until  they  came  in  sight 
of  the  bridge  above  Colchester.  A  few  miles  below  the 
town  the  river  began  to  widen.  The  banks  were  low  and 
flat,  and  they  were  now  entering  an  arm  of  the  sea.  Half 


24  B  F  ENGLAND '  S  AIL. 

an  hour  later  the  houses  and  church  of  Bricklesey  came  in 
sight.  Tide  was  almost  low  when  they  ran  on  to  the  mud 
abreast  of  the  village,  but  John  put  on  a  pair  of  high  boots 
and  carried  the  boys  ashore  one  after  the  other  on  his  back, 
and  then  went  up  with  them  to  the  house  where  they  were 
to  stop  for  the  night. 

Here,  although  not  expected,  they  were  heartily  wel 
comed  by  John's  daughter. 

"  If  father  had  told  me  that  you  had  been  coming, 
Masters  Vickars,  I  would  have  had  a  proper  dinner  for 
you  ;  but  though  he  sent  word  yesterday  morning  that  he 
should  be  over  to-day,  he  did  not  say  a  word  about  your 
coming  with  them." 

"  He  did  not  know  himself/'  Geoffrey  said  ;  "  it  was  only 
settled  at  ten  o'clock  yesterday.  But  do  not  trouble  your 
self  about  the  dinner.  In  the  first  place,  we  are  so  pleased 
at  going  that  we  don't  care  a  bit  what  we  eat,  and  in  the 
second  place  we  had  breakfast  on  board  the  boat,  and  we 
were  both  so  hungry  that  I  am  sure  we  could  go  till  supper- 
time  without  eating  if  necessary." 

"Where  are  you  going,  father?"  the  young  woman 
asked. 

"I  am  going  to  set  about  unloading  the  flour." 

"  Why,  it's  only  a  quarter  to  twelve,  and  dinner  just 
ready.  The  fish  went  into  the  frying-pan  as  you  came  up 
from  the  boat.  You  know  we  generally  dine  at  half-past 
eleven,  but  we  saw  you  coming  at  a  distance  and  put  it  off. 
It's  no  use  your  starting  now." 

"  Well,  I  suppose  it  isn't.  And  I  don't  know  what  the 
young  masters'  appetite  may  be,  but  mine  is  pretty  good, 
I  can  tell  you." 

"I  never  knew  it  otherwise,  father,"  the  woman 
laughed.  "  Ah,  here  is  my  Sam.  Sam,  here's  father 
brought  these  two  young  gentlemen.  They  are  the  sous 
of  Mr.  Vickars,  the  oarson  at  Hedingham.  They  are  going 


B  T  ENGLAND '  8  AID.  25 

to  stop  here  to-night,  and  are  going  with  him  in  the  Susan 
to-morrow  to  London." 

"  Glad  to  see  you,  young  masters/'  Sam  said.  "  I  have 
often  heard  Ann  talk  of  your  good  father.  I  have  just 
been  on  board  the  Susan,  for  I  am  sending  up  a  couple  of 
score  sides  of  bacon  in  her,  and  have  been  giving  Joe 
Chambers,  her  master,  a  list  of  things  he  is  to  get  there 
and  bring  down  for  me.  ^Tow  then,  girl,  bustle  about  and 
get  dinner  on  as  soon  as  you  can.  We  are  half  an  hour 
late.  I  am  sure  the  young  gentlemen  here  must  be 
hungry.  There's  nothing  like  being  on  the  water  for 
getting  an  appetite." 

A  few  minutes  later  a  great  dish  of  fish,  a  loaf  of  bread 
and  some  wooden  platters,  were  placed  on  the  table,  and 
all  set  to  at  once.  Forks  had  not  yet  come  into  use,  and 
table-cloths  were  unknown,  except  among  the  upper 
classes.  The  boys  found  that  in  spite  of  their  hearty 
breakfast  their  appetites  were  excellent.  The  fish  were 
delicious,  the  bread  was  home-baked,  and  the  beer  from 
Colchester,  which  was  already  famous  for  its  brewing. 
When  they  had  finished,  John  Lirriper  asked  them  if  they 
would  rather  see  what  there  was  to  be  seen  in  the  village, 
or  go  off  to  the  ketch.  They  at  once  chose  the  latter 
alternative.  On  going  down  to  the  water's  edge  they 
found  that  the  tide  had  risen  sufficiently  to  enable  Dick  to 
bring  the  barge  alongside  the  jetty.  They  were  soon  on 
board. 

"  Which  is  the  Susan,  Master  Lirriper  ?  " 

"  That's  her  lying  out  there  with  two  others.  She  is  the 
one  lowest  down  the  stream.  W~e  shall  just  fetch  her 
comfortably." 


BY  EXQLAHD'S  AID. 


CHAPTEE  II. 

A   MEETING   IN    CHEPB. 

A  BOW  of  ten  minutes  took  the  boat  with  Master 
Lirriper  and  the  two  boys  alongside  the  ketch.  "How 
are  you,  Joe  Chambers  ?  "  Master  Lirriper  hailed  the  skip 
per  as  he  appeared  on  the  deck  of  the  Susan.  "  I  have 
brought  you  two  more  passengers  for  London.  They  are 
going  there  under  my  charge." 

"  The  more  the  merrier,  Uncle  John,"  the  young  skip 
per  replied.  "  There  are  none  others  going  this  journey, 
so  though  our  accommodation  is  not  very  extensive,  we 
can  put  them  up  comfortably  enough  if  they  don't  mind 
roughing  it." 

"  Oh,  we  don't  mind  that,"  Geoffrey  said,  as  they  climbed 
on  board  ;  "  besides,  there  seems  lots  of  room." 

"Not  so  much  as  you  think,"  the  skipper  replied. 
"  She  is  a  roomy  craft  is  the  Susan  ;  but  she  is  pretty  nigh 
all  hold,  and  we  are  cramped  a  little  in  the  f  o'castle.  Still 
we  can  sleep  six,  and  that's  just  the  number  we  shall  have, 
for  we  carry  a  man  and  a  boy  besides  myself.  I  think 
your  flour  will  about  fill  her  up,  Master  Lirriper.  We 
have  a  pretty  full  cargo  this  time." 

"  Well,  we  shall  soon  see,"  John  Lirriper  said.  "  Are 
you  ready  to  take  the  flour  on  board  at  once  ?  Because,  if 
so,  we  will  begin  to  discharge.'' 

•"•'  Yes,  I  am  quite  ready.  You  told  me  you  were  going 
to  bring  forty  sacks,  and  I  have  left  the  middle  part  of  the 
hold  empty  for  them.  Sam  Hunter's  bacon  will  stow  in  on 
the  top  of  jour  sacks,  and  just  fill  her  UD  to  the  beams 


B  Y  ENGLAND '  8  AID.  27 

there  as  I  reckon.  I'll  go  below  and  stow  them  away  as 
you  hand  them  across." 

In  an  hour  the  sacks  of  flour  were  transferred  from  the 
barge  to  the  hold  of  the  Susan,  and  the  sides  of  bacon 
then  placed  upon  them. 

"  It's  a  pity  we  haven't  all  the  rest  of  the  things  on 
board,"  the  skipper  said,  "  and  then  we  could  have  started 
by  this  evening's  tide  instead  of  waiting  till  the  morning. 
The  wind  is  fair,  and  I  hate  throwing  away  a  fair  wind. 
There  is  no  saying  where  it  may  blow  to-morrow,  but  I 
shouldn't  be  at  all  surprised  if  it  isn't  round  to  the  south, 
and  that  will  be  foul  for  us  till  we  get  pretty  nigh  up  into 
the  mouth  of  the  river.  However,  I  gave  them  till  to 
night  for  getting  all  their  things  on  board,  and  must 
therefore  wait." 

To  the  boys  the  Susan  appeared  quite  a  large  craft,  for 
there  was  not  water  up  at  Hedingham  for  vessels  of  her 
size  ;  and  though  they  had  seen  ships  at  Harwich,  they  had 
never  before  put  foot  on  anything  larger  than  Master 
Lirriper's  barge.  The  Susan  was  about  forty  feet  long  by 
twelve  feet  beam,  and  drew,  as  her  skipper  informed  them, 
near  five  feet  of  water.  She  was  entirely  decked.  The 
cabin  in  the  bows  occupied  some  fourteen  feet  in  length. 
The  rest  was  devoted  to  cargo.  They  descended  into  the 
cabin,  which  seemed  to  them  very  dark,  there  being  no 
light  save  what  came  down  through  the  small  hatchway. 
Still  it  looked  snug  and  comfortable.  There  was  a  fire 
place  on  one  side  of  the  ladder  by  which  they  had  de 
scended,  and  on  this  side  there  were  two  bunks,  one  above 
the  other.  On  the  other  side  there  were  lockers  running 
along  the  entire  length  of  the  cabin.  Two  could  sleep  on 
these,  and  two  on  the  bunks  above  them. 

"Now,  young  masters,  you  will  take  those  two  bunks 
on  the  top  there.  John  Lirriper  and  I  will  sleep  on  the 
lockers  underneath  you.  The  man  and  the  boy  have  the 
two  on  the  other  side.  I  put  you  on  the  top  because  there 


28  B  Y  ENGLAND '  8  AID. 

is  a  side  board,  and  you  can't  fall  out  if  she  rolls,  arid 
besides  the  buuks  are  rather  wider  than  the  lockers  below. 
If  the  wind  is  fair  you  won't  have  much  of  our  companv, 
because  we  shall  hold  on  till  we  moor  alongside  the 
wharves  of  London  ;  but  if  it's  foul,  or  there  is  not  enough 
of  it  to  take  us  against  tide,  we  have  to  anchor  on  the  ebb, 
and  then  of  course  we  turn  in." 

"  How  long  do  you  take  getting  from  here  to  London  ?  " 

"  Ah,  that  I  can  tell  you  more  about  when  I  see  what 
the  weather  is  like  in  the  morning.  With  a  strong  fair 
wind  I  have  done  it  in  twenty-four  hours,  and  again  with 
the  wind  foul  it  has  taken  me  nigh  a  week.  Taking  one 
trip  with  another  I  should  put  it  at  three  days." 

••'Well,  now,  we  will  be  going  ashore,"  John  Lirriper 
said.  "I  will  leave  my  barge  alongside  till  tide  turns,  for 
I  could  not  get  her  back  again  to  the  jetty  so  long  as  it  is 
running  in  strong,  so  I  will  be  off  again  in  a  couple  of 
hours. " 

So  saying  he  hauled  up  the  dingy  that  was  towing  be 
hind  the  barge,  and  he  and  Dick  rowed  the  two  boys 
ashore.  Then  he  walked  along  with  them  to  a  spot  where 
several  craft  were  hauled  up,  pointing  ont  to  them  the 
differences  in  their  rig  and  build,  and  explained  their  pur 
pose,  and  gave  them  the  names  of  the  principal  ropes  and 
stays. 

"Xow,"  he  said,  "it's  getting  on  for  supper-time,  and 
it  won't  do  to  keep  them  waiting,  for  Ann  is  sure  to  have 
got  some  cakes  made,  and  there's  nothing  puts  a  woman 
out  more  than  people  not  being  in  to  meals  when  they  have 
got  something  special  ready.  After  that  I  shall  go  out 
with  Dick  and  bring  the  barge  ashore.  He  will  load  her 
up  to-morrow,  and  take  her  back  single-handed  ;  which 
can  be  done  easy  enough  in  such  weather  as  this,  but  it  is 
too  much  for  one  man  if  there  is  a  strong  wind  blowing 
and  driving  her  over  to  the  one  side  or  other  of  the 
river." 


B  Y  ENGLA  JVD  'gr  A  ID.  29 

As  John  Lirriper  had  expected,  his  daughter  had  pre 
pared  a  pile  of  hot  cakes  for  supper,  and  her  face  bright 
ened  up  when  she  saw  the  party  return  punctually.  The 
boys  had  been  up  early,  and  had  slept  but  little  the  night 
before,  and  were  not  sorry  at  eight  o'clock  to  lie  down  on 
the  bed  of  freshly  cut  rushes  covered  with  home-spun 
sheets,  for  regular  beds  of  feathers  were  still  but  little  used 
in  England.  At  five  o'clock  they  were  astir  again,  and 
their  hostess  insisted  on  their  eating  a  manchet  of  bread 
with  some  cheese,  washed  down  by  a  stonp  of  ale  before 
starting.  Dick  had  the  boat  at  the  jetty  ready  to  row 
them  off,  and  as  soon  as  they  were  on  board  the  Susan  prep 
arations  were  made  for  a  start. 

The  mainsail  was  first  hoisted,  its  size  greatly  surprising 
the  boys  ;  then  the  foresail  and  jib  were  got  up,  and  lastly 
the  mizzen.  Then  the  capstan  was  manned,  and  the  an 
chor  slowly  brought  on  board,  and  the  sails  being  sheeted 
home,  the  craft  began  to  steal  through  the  water.  The 
tide  was  stili  draining  up,  and  she  had  not  as  yet  swung. 
The  wind  was  light,  and,  as  the  skipper  had  predicted, 
was  nearly  due  south.  As  the  ketch  made  its  way  out 
from  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  the  wide  expanse  of  water 
opened  before  them,  the  boys  were  filled  with  delight. 
They  had  taken  their  seats,  one  on  each  side  of  the  skipper, 
who  was  at  the  tiller. 

"  I  suppose  you  steer  by  the  compass,  Master  Chambers  ? '' 
Geoffrey  said.  "  Which  is  the  compass  ?  I  have  heard 
about  it  always  pointing  to  the  north." 

"  It's  down  below,  young  sir  ;  I  will  show  it  you  presently. 
We  steer  by  that  at  night,  or  when  it's  foggy ;  but  on  a 
fine  day  like  this  there  is  no  need  for  it.  There  are  marks 
put  up  on  all  the  sands,  and  we  steer  by  them.  You  see, 
the  vray  tlic  wind  is  now  we  can  lay  our  course  for  the 
WLiUakor.  That's  ii  cruel  sand,  that  is,  and  stretches  out 
a  long  way  £rom  a  point  lying  away  on  the  right  there. 
Once  past  that  we  bear  away  to  the  southwest,  for  we  are 


30  BY  ENGLAND  'S  AID. 

then,  BO  to  speak,  fairly  in  the  course  of  the  rirer.  There 
is  many  a  ship  has  been  cast  away  on  the  "Whittaker.  Not 
that  it  is  worse  than  other  sands.  There  are  scores  of  them 
lying  in  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  if  it  wasn't  for  the 
marka  there  would  be  no  sailing  in  or  out." 

'•  Who  put  up  the  marks  ?"  Lionel  asked. 

"They  are  put  up  by  men  who  make  a  business  of  it. 
There  is  one  boat  of  them  sails  backwards  and  forwards 
where  the  river  begins  to  narrow  above  Sheerness,  and 
every  ship  that  goes  up  or  down  pays  them  something  ac 
cording  to  her  size.  Others  cruise  about  with  long  poles, 
putting  them  in  the  sands  wherever  one  gets  washed  away. 
They  have  got  different  marks  on  them.  A  single  cross- 
piece,  or  two  cross-pieces,  or  a  circle,  or  a  diamond  ;  so 
that  each  sand  has  got  its  own  particular  mark.  These 
are  known  to  the  masters  of  all  ships  that  go  up  and  down 
the  river,  and  so  they  can  tell  exactly  where  they  are,  and 
what  course  to  take.  At  night  they  anchor,  for  there 
would  be  no  possibility  of  finding  the  way  up  or  down  in 
the  dark.  I  have  heard  tell  from  mariners  who  have  sailed 
abroad  that  there  ain't  a  place  anywhere  with  such  dan 
gerous  sands  as  those  we  have  got  here  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Thames." 

In  the  first  three  or  four  hours'  sail  Geoffrey  and  Lionel 
acquired  much  nautical  knowledge.  They  learned  the 
difference  between  the  mainmast  and  the  mizzen,  found 
that  all  the  strong  ropes  that  kept  the  masts  erect  and  stiff 
were  called  stays,  that  the  ropes  that  hoist  sails  are  called 
halliards,  and  that  sheets  is  the  name  given  to  the  ropes 
that  restrain  the  sails  at  the  lower  corner,  and  are  used  to 
haul  them  in  more  tightly  when  sailing  close  to  the  wind, 
or  to  ease  them  off  when  the  wind  is  favorable.  They  also 
learned  that  the  yards  at  the  head  of  the  main  and  mizzen 
sails  are  called  gaffs,  and  those  at  the  bottom,  booms. 

"I  think  that's  about  enough  for  you  to  remember  in 
one  day,  young  masters,"  John  Lirriper  said.  "  You  bear 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  31 

all  that  in  your  mind,  and  remember  that  each  halliard 
and  sheet  has  the  name  of  the  sail  to  which  it  is  attached, 
and  you  will  have  learnt  enough  to  make  yourself  useful, 
and  can  lend  a  hand  when  the  skipper  calls  out,  *  Haul  in 
the  jib-sheet,  *  or '  Let  go  the  fore-halliards. '  Now  set  your 
selves  down  again  and  see  what  is  doing.  That  beacon 
you  can  just  see  right  ahead  marks  the  end  of  the  Whit- 
taker  Spit.  "When  we  get  there  we  shall  drop  anchor  till 
the  tide  turns.  You  see  we  are  going  across  it  now  ;  but 
when  we  round  that  beacon  we  shall  have  it  dead  against 
us,  and  the  wind  would  be  too  light  to  take  us  against  it 
even  if  it  were  not  from  the  quarter  it  is.  You  see  there 
are  two  or  three  other  craft  brought  up  there. " 

"Where  have  they  come  from  do  you  think,  Master 
Lirriper  ?  " 

"Well,  they  may  have  come  o\\t  from  Burnham,  or  they 
may  have  come  down  from  London  and  be  going  up  to 
Burnham  or  to  Bricklesey  when  the  tide  turns.  There  is  a 
large  ship  anchored  in  the  channel  beyond  the  Whittaker. 
Of  course  she  is  going  up  when  tide  begins  to  flow.  And 
there  are  the  masts  of  two  vessels  right  over  there.  They 
are  in  another  channel.  Between  us  and  them  there  is  a 
line  of  sands  that  you  will  see  will  show  above  the  water 
when  it  gets  a  bit  lower.  That  is  the  main  channel,  that 
is  ;  and  vessels  coming  from  the  south  with  a  large  draught 
of  water  generally  use  that,  while  this  is  the  one  that  it 
handiest  for  ships  from  the  north.  Small  vessels  from  the 
south  come  in  by  a  channel  a  good  bit  beyond  those  ships. 
That  is  the  narrowest  of  the  three  ;  and  even  light-draught 
vessels  don't  use  it  much  unless  the  wind  is  favorable,  for 
there  is  not  much  room  for  them  to  beat  up  if  the  wind  is 
against  them." 

"What  is  to  beat  up,  Master  Lirriper  ?" 

"  Well,  yon  will  see  about  that  presently.  I  don't  think 
we  shall  be  able  to  lay  our  course  beyond  the  Whittaker. 
To  lay  our  course  means  to  steer  the  way  we  want  to  go  ; 


32  BY  ENGLAND : ,S  A  i L\ 

and  if  we  can't  do  that  we  shall  have  to  beat,  and  that  is 
tedious  work  with  a  light  wind  like  this." 

They  dropped  anchor  off  the  beacon,  and  the  captain 
said  that  this  was  the  time  to  take  breakfast.  The  lads 
already  smelt  an  agreeable  odor  arising  from  the  cabin 
forward,  where  the  boy  had  been  for  some  time  busily  en 
gaged,  and  soon  the  whole  party  were  seated  on  the  lockers 
in  the  cabin  devouring  fried  fish. 

"  Master  Chambers,"  Geoffrey  said,  "we  have  got  two 
boiled  pullets  in  our  basket.  Had  we  not  better  have  them 
for  dinner  ?  They  were  cooked  the  evening  before  we 
came  away,  and  I  should  think  they  had  better  be  eaten 
now." 

"  You  had  better  keep  them  for  yourselves,  Master 
Geoffrey/'  the  skipper  said.  *•'  We  are  accustomed  to 
living  on  fish,  but  like  enough  you  would  get  tired  of  it 
before  we  got  to  London." 

But  this  the  boys  would  not  hear  of,  and  it  was  accord 
ingly  arranged  that  the  dinner  should  be  furnished  from 
the  contents  of  the  basket. 

As  soon  as  tide  turned  the  anchor  was  hove  up  and 
the  Susan  got  under  way  again.  The  boys  soon  learnt  the 
meaning  of  the  word  beating,  and  found  that  it  meant  sail 
ing  backwards  and  forwards  across  the  channel,  with  the 
wind  sometimes  on  one  side  of  the  boat  and  sometimes  on 
the  other.  Geoffrey  wanted  very  much  to  learn  why,  when 
the  wind  was  so  nearly  ahead,  the  boat  advanced  instead 
of  drifting  backwards  or  sideways.  But  this  was  altogether 
beyond  the  power  of  either  Master  Lirriper  or  Joe  Cham 
bers  to  explain.  They  said  every  one  knew  that  when  the 
sails  were  full  a  vessel  went  in  the  direction  in  which  her 
head  pointed.  "It's  just  the  same  way  with  yourself, 
Master  Geoffrey.  You  see,  when  you  look  one  way  that's 
the  way  you  go.  When  you  turn  your  head  and  point 
another  way,  of  course  you  go  off  that  way  ;  and  it's  just 
the  same  thing  with  the  ship." 


B  T  ENGLA ND '  5  AID.  33 

"  I  don't  think  it's  the  same  thing,  Master  Lirriper," 
Geoffrey  said  puzzled.  ' ( In  one  case  the  power  that  makes 
*  one  go  comes  from  the  inside,  and  so  one  can  go  in  any 
direction  one  likes  ;  in  the  other  it  comes  from  outside,  and 
you  would  think  the  ship  would  have  to  go  any  way  the 
wind  pushes  her.  If  you  stand  up  and  I  give  you  a  push, 
I  push  you  straight  away  from  me.  You  don't  go  side 
ways  or  come  forward  in  the  direction  of  my  shoulder, 
which  is  what  the  ship  does." 

John  Lirriper  took  off  his  cap  and  scratched  his  head. 

"  I  suppose  it  is  as  you  say,  Master  Geoffrey,  though  I 
never  thought  of  it  before.  There  is  some  reason,  no 
doubt,  why  the  craft  moves  up  against  the  wind  so  long  as 
the  sails  are  full,  instead  of  drifting  away  to  leeward ; 
though  I  never  heard  tell  of  it,  and  never  heard  any  one 
ask  before.  I  dare  say  a  learned  man  could  tell  why  it  is  ; 
and  if  you  ask  your  good  father  when  you  go  back  I  would 
wager  he  can  explain  it.  It  always  seems  to  me  as  if  a  boat 
have  got  some  sort  of  sense,  just  like  a  human  being  or  a 
horse,  arid  when  she  knows  which  way  you  wants  her  to 
go  she  goes.  That's  how  it  seems  to  me — ain't  it,  Joe  ?  " 

"  Something  like  that,  uncle.  Every  one  knows  that  a 
boat's  got  her  humors,  and  sometimes  she  sails  better  than 
she  does  others ;  and  each  boat's  got  her  own  fancies. 
Some  does  their  best  when  they  are  beating,  and  some  are 
lively  in  a  heavy  sea,  and  seem  as  if  they  enjoy  it ;  and 
others  get  sulky,  and  don't  seem  to  take  the  trouble  to  lift 
their  bows  up  when  a  wave  meets  them  ;  and  they  groans 
and  complains  if  the  wind  is  too  hard  for  them,  just  like  a 
human  being.  When  you  goes  to  a  new  vessel  you  have 
got  to  learn  her  tricks  and  her  ways  and  what  she  will  do, 
and  what  she  won't  do,  and  just  to  humor  her  as  you 
would  a  child.  I  don't  say  as  I  think  she  is  actually  alive  ; 
but  every  sailor  will  tell  you  that  there  is  something  about 
her  that  her  builders  never  put  there." 

"  That's  so."  John  Lirriper  agreed.  "  Look  at  a  boat 
3 


34  B  T  ENGLAND '  5  AID. 

that  is  hove  up  when  her  work's  done  and  going  to  be 
broken  up.  Why,  any  one  can  tell  her  with  half  an  eye. 
She  looks  that  forlorn  and  melancholy  that  one's  inclined 
to  blubber  at  the  sight  of  her.  She  don't  look  like  that  at 
any  other  time.  When  she  is  hove  up  she  is  going  to  die, 
and  she  knows  it." 

"  But  perhaps  that's  because  the  paint's  off  her  sides  and 
the  ropes  all  worn  and  loose,"  Geoffrey  suggested. 

But  Master  Lirriper  waved  the  suggestion  aside  as  un 
worthy  even  of  an  answer,  and  repeated,  "She  knows  it. 
Anyone  can  see  that  with  half  an  eye." 

Geoffrey  and  Lionel  talked  the  matter  over  when  they 
were  sitting  together  on  deck  apart  from  the  others.  It 
was  an  age  when  there  were  still  many  superstitions  cur 
rent  in  the  land.  Even  the  upper  classes  believed  in 
witches  and  warlocks,  in  charms  and  spells,  in  lucky  and 
unlucky  days,  in  the  arts  of  magic,  in  the  power  of  the 
evil  eye  ;  and  although  to  the  boys  it  seemed  absurd  that  a 
vessel  should  have  life,  they  were  not  prepared  altogether 
to  discredit  an  idea  that  was  evidently  thoroughly  believed 
by  those  who  had  been  on  board  ships  all  their  lives.  After 
talking  it  over  for  some  time  they  determined  to  submit 
the  question  to  their  father  on  their  return. 

It  took  them  two  more  tides  before  they  were  off  Sheer- 
ness.  The  wind  was  now  more  favorable,  and  having  in 
creased  somewhat  in  strength,  the  Susan  made  her  way 
briskly  along,  heeling  over  till  the  water  ran  along  her 
scuppers.  There  was  plenty  to  see  now,  for  there  were 
many  fishing-boats  at  work,  some  belonging,  as  Master 
Chambers  told  them,  to  the  Medway,  others  to  the  little 
village  of  Leigh,  whose  church  they  saw  at  the  top  of  the 
hiU  to  their  right.  They  met,  too,  several  large  craft  com 
ing  down  the  river,  and  passed  more  than  one,  for  the 
Susan  was  a  fast  boat. 

"  They  would  beat  us,"  the  skipper  said  when  the  boys 
expressed  their  surprise  at  their  passing  such  large  vessels, 


BY  EXGLANW8  AIL.  35 

"  if  the  wind  were  stronger  or  the  water  rough.  We  are 
doing  our  beat,  and  if  the  wind  rises  I  shall  have  to  take 
in  sail ;  while  they  could  carry  all  theirs  if  it  blew  twice  as 
*hard.  Then  in  a  sea,  weight  and  power  tell ;  a  wave  that 
would  knock  the  way  almost  out  of  us  would  hardly  affect 
them  at  all." 

So  well  did  the  Susan  go  along,  that  before  the  tide  was 
much  more  than  half  done  they  passed  the  little  village  of 
Gravesend  on  their  left,  with  the  strong  fort  of  Tilbury  on 
the  opposite  shore,  with  its  guns  pointing  on  the  river,  and 
ready  to  give  a  good  account  of  any  Spaniard  who  should 
venture  to  sail  up  the  Thames.  Then  at  the  end  of  the 
next  reach  the  hamlet  of  Grays  was  passed  on  the  right ;  a 
mile  further  Greenhithe  on  the  left.  Tide  was  getting 
slack  now,  but  the  Susan  managed  to  get  as  far  as  Purfleet, 
and  then  dropped  her  anchor. 

"  This  is  our  last  stopping-place,"  Joe  Chambers  said. 
"  The  morning  tide  will  carry  us  up  to  London  Bridge. " 

"  Then  you  will  not  go  on  with  to-night's  tide  P  "  Geof 
frey  asked. 

"  No  ;  the  river  gets  narrower  every  mile,  and  I  do  not 
care  to  take  the  risk  of  navigating  it  after  dark,  especially 
as  there  is  always  a  great  deal  of  shipping  moored  above 
Greenwich.  Tide  will  begin  to  run  up  at  about  five  o'clock, 
and  by  ten  we  ought  to  be  safely  moored  alongside  near 
London  Bridge.  So  we  should  not  gain  a  great  deal  by 
going  on  this  evening  instead  of  to-morrow  morning,  and 
I  don't  suppose  you  are  in  a  particular  hurry." 

"Oh,  no,"  Lionel  said.  "  We  would  much  rather  goon 
in  the  morning,  otherwise  we  should  miss  everything  by 
the  way  ;  and  there  is  the  Queen's  Palace  at  Greenwich  that 
I  want  to  see  above  all  things." 

Within  a  few  minutes  of  the  hour  the  skipper  had  named 
for  their  arrival,  the  Susan  was  moored  alongside  some 
vessels  lying  off  one  of  the  wharves  above  the  Tower.  The 
boys'  astonishment  had  risen  with  every  mil*  of  their 


36  B T  ENGLAND ' 5  AID. 

approach  to  the  city,  and  they  were  perfectly  astounded  at 
the  amount  of  shipping-  that  they  now  beheld.  The  great 
proportion  were  of  course  coasters,  like  themselves,  but 
there  were  many  large  vessels  among  them,  and  of  these 
fully  half  were  flying  foreign  colors.  Here  were  traders 
from  the  Netherlands,  with  the  flag  that  the  Spaniards  had 
in  vain  endeavored  to  lower,  flying  at  their  mast-heads. 
Here  were  caravels  from  Venice  and  Genoa,  laden  with 
goods  from  the  East.  Among  the  rest  Master  Chambers 
pointed  out  to  the  lads  the  ship  in  which  Sir  Francis  Drake 
had  circumnavigated  the  world,  and  that  in  which  Captain 
Stevens  had  sailed  to  India,  round  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
There  were  many  French  vessels  also  in  the  Pool,  and  in 
deed  almost  every  flag  save  that  of  Spain  was  represented. 
Innumerable  wherries  darted  about  among  the  shipping, 
and  heavier  cargo  boats  dropped  along  in  more  leisurely 
fashion.  Across  the  river,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  above  the 
point  at  which  they  were  lying,  stretched  London  Bridge, 
with  its  narrow  arches  and  the  houses  projecting  beyond 
it  on  their  supports  of  stout  timbers.  Beyond,  on  the 
right,  rising  high  above  the  crowded  roofs,  was  the  lofty 
spire  of  St.  Paul's.  The  boys  were  almost  awed  by  this 
vast  assemblage  of  buildings.  That  London  was  a  great 
city  they  had  known,  but  they  were  not  prepared  for  so 
immense  a  difference  between  it  and  the  place  where  they 
had  lived  all  their  lives.  Only  with  the  Tower  were  they 
somewhat  disappointed.  It  was  very  grand  and  very  ex 
tensive,  but  not  so  much  grander  than  the  stately  abode 
ot  the  Veres  as  they  had  looked  for. 

"  I  wouldn't  change,  if  I  were  the  earl,  with  the  queen's 
majesty,'"  Geoffrey  said.  "  Of  course  it  is  larger  than 
Hedingham,  but  not  so  beautiful,  and  it  is  crowded  in  by 
the  houses,  and  has  not  like  our  castle  a  fair  look-out  ou 
all  sides.  Why,  there  can  be  no  hunting  or  hawking  near 
here,  and  I  can't  think  what  the  nobles  can  find  to  do  all 
da?." 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  37 

"  Now,  young  sirs,"  Master  Lirriper  said,  "  if  you  will 
get  your  wallets  we  will  go  ashore  at  once." 

The  boys  were  quite  bewildered  as  they  stepped  ashore  by 
fche  bustle  and  confusion.  Brawny  porters  carrying  heavy 
packages  on  their  backs  pushed  along  unceremoniously, 
saying  from  time  to  time  in  a  mechanical  sort  of  way,  "  By 
your  leave,  sir  ! "  but  pushing  on  and  shouldering  passers- 
by  into  the  gutter  without  the  smallest  compunction.  The 
narrowness  and  dinginess  of  the  streets  greatly  surprised 
and  disappointed  the  boys,  who  found  that  in  these  respects 
even  Harwich  compared  favorably  with  the  region  they 
were  traversing.  Presently,  however,  after  passing  through 
several  lanes  and  alleys,  they  emerged  into  a  much  broader 
street,  alive  with  shops.  The  people  who  were  walking 
here  were  for  the  most  part  well  dressed  and  of  quiet  de 
meanor,  and  there  was  none  of  the  rough  bustle  that  had 
prevailed  in  the  river-side  lanes. 

"This  is  Eastchepe,"  their  conductor  said  ;  "we  have 
not  far  to  go  now.  The  street  in  which  my  friend  dwells 
lies  to  the  right,  between  this  and  Tower  Street.  I  could 
have  taken  you  a  shorter  way  there,  but  I  thought  that 
your  impressions  of  London  would  not  be  favorable  did  I 
take  you  all  the  way  through  those  ill-smelling  lanes/' 

In  a  quarter  of  an  hour  they  arrived  at  their  destination, 
and  entered  the  shop,  which  smelt  strongly  of  tar  •,  coils  of 
rope  of  all  sizes  were  piled  up  one  upon  another  by  the 
walls,  while  on  shelves  above  them  w«re  blocks,  lanterns, 
compasses,  and  a  great  variety  of  gear  of  whose  use  the 
boys  were  ignorant.  The  chandler  was  standing  at  his 
door. 

"  I  am  right  glad  to  see  you,  Master  Lirriper,'"'  he  said, 
"  and  have  been  expecting  you  for  the  last  two  or  three 
days.  My  wife  would  have  it  that  some  evil  must  have  be 
fallen  yon  ;  but  you  know  what  women  are.  They  make 
little  allowance  for  time  or  tide  or  distance,  but  expect  that 
every  one  can  so  arrange  his  journeys  as  to  arrive  at  the 


38  B  T  ENGLAND  '8  AID. 

very  moment  when  they  begin  to  expect  him.  But  who 
hare  you  here  with  you  ?  ° 

"  These  are  the  sons  of  the  worshipful  Mr.  Vickars,  the 
rector  of  our  parish,  and  tutor  to  the  Earl  of  Oxford  and 
several  of  the  young  Veres,  his  cousins — a  wise  gentleman 
and  a  kind  one,  and  much  loved  among  UB.  He  has  in 
trusted  his  two  sons  to  me  that  I  might  show  them  some 
what  of  this  city  of  yours.  I  said  that  I  was  right  sure  that 
you  and  your  good  dame  would  let  them  occupy  the  cham 
ber  you  intended  for  me,  while  I  can  make  good  shift  on 
board  the  Susan." 

"  Nay,  nay,  Master  Lirriper  ;  our  house  is  big  enougk 
to  take  in  yon  and  these  two  young  masters,  and  Dorothy 
would  deem  it  a  slight  indeed  upon  her  hospitality  were 
you  not  to  take  up  your  abode  here  too.  You  will  be 
heartily  welcome,  young  sirs,  and  though  such  accom 
modation  as  we  can  give  you  will  not  be  equal  to  that  which 
you  are  accustomed  to,  I  warrant  me  that  you  will  find  it 
a  pleasant  change  after  that  poky  little  cabin  on  board  the 
Susan.  I  know  it  well,  for  I  supply  her  with  stores,  and 
have  often  wondered  how  men  could  accustom  themselves 
to  pass  their  lives  in  places  where  there  is  scarce  room  to 
turn,  to  say  nothing  of  the  smell  of  fish  that  always  hangs 
about  it.  But  if  you  will  follow  me  I  will  take  you  up  to 
my  good  dame,  to  whose  care  I  must  commit  you  for  the 
present,  as  my  foreman,  John  Watkins,  is  down  by  the 
riverside  seeing  to  the  proper  delivery  of  divers  stores  on 
board  a  ship  which  sails  with  the  next  tide  for  Holland. 
My  apprentices,  too,  are  both  out,  as  I  must  own  is  their 
wont.  They  always  make  excuses  to  slip  down  to  the  river 
side  when  there  is  aught  doing,  and  I  am  far  too  easy  with 
the  varlets.  So  at  present,  you  see,  I  cannot  long  leave 
my  shop." 

So  saying  the  chandler  preceded  them  up  a  wide  stair 
case  that  led  from  a  passage  behind  the  shop,  and  the  boys 
perceived  that  the  house  waa  far  more  roomy  and  com- 


B  F  ENGLAND '  5  AID.  3ft 

fortable  than  they  had  judged  from  its  outward  appearance. 
Turning  to  the  left  when  he  reached  the  top  of  the  stairs 
the  chandler  opened  a  door. 

"Dorothy,"  he  said,  "here  is  your  kinsman,  Master 
Lirriper,  who  has  suffered  none  of  the  misadventures  you 
have  been  picturing  to  yourself  for  the  last  two  days,  and 
he  has  brought  with  him  these  young  gentlemen,  sons 
of  the  rector  of  Hedingham,  to  show  them  something  of 
London." 

"  You  are  welcome,  young  gentlemen,'*  Dame  Dorothy 
said,  "  though  why  any  one  should  come  to  London  when 
he  can  stay  away  from  it  I  know  not." 

"  Why,  Dorothy,  you  are  always  running  down  our  city, 
though  I  know  right  well  that  were  I  to  move  down  with 
you  to  your  native  Easex  again  you  would  very  soon  cry 
out  for  the  pleasures  of  the  town." 

"  That  would  I  not,"  she  said.  "  I  would  be  well  con 
tented  to  live  in  fresh  country  air  all  the  rest  of  my  life, 
though  I  do  not  say  that  London  has  not  its  share  of  pleas 
ures  also,  though  I  care  but  little  for  them." 

"Ah,  Master  Lirriper,"  her  husband  said  laughing, 
"  you  would  not  think,  to  hear  her  talk,  that  there  is  not 
a  feast  or  a  show  that  Dorothy  would  stay  away  from.  She 
never  misses  an  opportunity,  I  warrant  you,  of  showing 
herself  off  in  her  last  new  kirtle  and  gown.  But  I  must 
be  going  down  ;  there  is  no  one  below,  and  if  a  customer 
comes  and  finds  the  shop  empty  he  will  have  but  a  poor 
idea  of  me,  and  will  think  that  I  am  away  gossiping  instead 
of  attending  to  my  business." 

"  Are  you  hungry,  young  sirs  ?"  the  daine  asked.  "  Be 
cause  if  so  the  maid  shall  bring  up  a  manchet  of  bread  and 
a  cup  of  sack  ;  if  not,  our  evening  meal  will  be  served  in 
the  course  of  an  hour." 

The  boys  both  said  that  they  were  perfectly  able  to  wait 
until  the  meal  came  ;  and  Geoffrey  added,  "  If  you  will 
Allow  us,  mistress,  as  doubtless  you  have  private  matters 


40  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

to  talk  of  with  Master  Lirriper,  my  brother  and  I  will 
walk  out  for  an  hour  to  see  something  of  the  town." 

"  Mind  that  you  lose  not  your  way,"  Master  Lirriper  said. 
"  DC  not  go  beyond  Eastchepe,  I  beg  yon.  There  are  the 
shops  to  look  at  there,  and  the  fashions  of  dress  and  other 
matters  that  will  occupy  your  attention  well  enough  for  that 
short  time.  To-morrow  morning  I  will  myself  go  with 
you,  and  we  can  then  wander  further  abroad.  I  have 
promised  your  good  father  to  look  after  you,  you  know  ; 
and  it  will  be  but  a  bad  beginning  if  you  meet  with  any 
untoward  adventure  upon  this  the  first  day  of  your  arrival 
here." 

"  We  will  not  go  beyond  the  limits  of  Eastchepe  ;  and  as 
to  adventures,  I  can't  see  very  well  how  any  can  befall  us." 

"  Gli,  there  are  plenty  of  adventures  to  be  met  with  in 
London,  young  sir  ;  and  I  shall  be  well  content  if  on  the 
day  when  we  again  embark  on  board  the  Susan  none  of 
them  have  fallen  to  your  share." 

The  two  lads  accordingly  sallied  out  and  amused  them 
selves  greatly  by  staring  at  the  goods  exhibited  in  the  open 
shops.  They  were  less  surprised  at  the  richness  and  variety 
of  the  silverwork,  at  the  silks  from  the  East,  the  costly 
satins,  and  other  stuffs,  than  most  boys  from  the  country 
would  have  been,  for  they  were  accustomed  to  the  splendor 
and  magnificence  displayed  by  the  various  noble  guests  at 
the  castle,  and  saw  nothing  here  that  surpassed  the  bril 
liant  shows  made  at  the  jousting  and  entertainment  at 
Hedingham. 

It  was  the  scene  that  was  novel  to  them  :  the  shouts  of 
the  apprentices  inviting  attention  to  their  employers' wares, 
the  crowd  that  filled  the  street,  consisting  for  the  most  part 
of  the  citizens  themselves,  but  varied  by  nobles  and  knights 
of  the  court,  by  foreigners  from  many  lands,  by  soldiers 
id  men-at-arms  from  the  Tower,  by  countrymen  and 
Bailors.  Their  amusement  was  sometimes  turned  into 
anger  by  the  flippant  remarks  of  the  apprentice*  •  fhese 


BY  ENGLAND1  S  AID.  41 

varlets,  perceiving  easily  enough  by  the  manner  of  their 
attire  that  they  were  from  the  country,  were  not  slow,  if 
vtheir  master  happened  for  the  moment  to  be  absent,  in 
indulging  in  remarks  that  set  Geoffrey  and  Lionel  into 
a  fever  to  commit  a  breach  of  the  peace.  The  "  What  do 
you  lack,  masters  ?  "  with  which  they  generally  addressed 
passers-by  would  be  exchanged  for  remarks  such  as,  "  Do 
not  trouble  the  young  gentlemen,  Nat.  Do  you  not  see 
they  are  up  in  the  town  looking  for  some  of  their  master's 
calves  ?"  or,  "Look you,  Philip,  here  are  two  rustics  who 
have  come  up  to  town  to  learn  manners." 

"I  quite  see,  Geoffrey,"  Lionel  said,  taking  his  brother 
by  the  arm  and  half  dragging  him  away  as  he  saw  that  he 
was  clenching  his  fist  and  preparing  to  avenge  summarily 
one  of  these  insults  even  more  pointed  than  usual,  "  that 
Master  Lirriper  was  not  very  far  out,  and  there  is  no  diffi 
culty  in  meeting  with  adventures  in  the  streets  of  London. 
However,  we  must  not  give  him  occasion  on  this  our  first 
stroll  in  the  streets  to  say  that  we  cannot  be  trusted  out  of 
his  sight.  If  we  were  to  try  to  punish  these  insolent  var 
lets,  we  should  have  them  upon  us  like  a  swarm  of  bees, 
and  should  doubtless  get  worsted  in  the  encounter,  and 
might  even  find  ourselves  hauled  off  to  the  lock-up,  and 
that  would  be  a  nice  tale  for  Master  Lirriper  to  carry  back 
to  Hedingham." 

"  That  is  true  enough,  Lionel  ;  but  it  is  not  easy  to  keep 
one's  temper  when  one  is  thus  tried.  I  know  not  how  it  is 
they  see  so  readily  that  we  are  strangers,  for  surely  we  have 
mixed  enough  with  the  earl's  family  and  friends  to  have 
rubbed  off  the  awkwardness  that  they  say  is  common  to 
country  folk  ;  and  as  to  our  dress,  I  do  not  see  much  dif 
ference  between  its  fashion  and  that  of  other  people.  I 
suppose  it  is  because  we  look  interested  in  what  is  going 
on,  instead  of  strolling  along  like  those  two  youths  opposite 
with  our  noses  in  the  air,  as  if  we  regarded  the  city  and  its 
belongings  as  infinitely  below  our  regard.  Well,  I  think 


42  S  T  ENGLAND '  5  AID. 

we  had  best  be  turning  back  to  Master  Swindon's ;  it  will 
not  do  to  be  late  for  our  meal." 

"  Well,  young  sirs,  what  do  yon  think  of  our  shops  ?  " 
Dame  Swindon  asked  as  they  entered. 

"The  shops  are  well  enough,"  Geoffrey  replied ;  "but 
your  apprentices  seem  to  me  to  be  an  insolent  set  of  jack 
anapes,  who  take  strange  liberties  with  passers-by,  and 
who  would  be  all  the  better  for  chastisement.  If  it  hadn't 
been  that  Lionel  and  I  did  not  wish  to  become  engaged  in 
a  brawl,  we  should  hare  given  some  of  them  lessons  in 
manners." 

"  They  are  free  in  speech,"  Dame  Swindon  said,  "  and 
are  an  impudent  set  of  varlets.  They  have  quick  eyes  and 
ready  tongues,  and  are  no  respecters  of  persons  save  of 
their  masters  and  of  citizens  in  a  position  to  lay  complaints 
against  them  and  to  secure  them  punishment.  They  hold 
together  greatly,  and  it  is  as  well  that  you  should  not  be 
come  engaged  in  a  quarrel  with  them.  At  times  they 
have  raised  serious  tumults,  and  have  even  set  not  only  the 
watch  but  the  citizens  at  large  at  defiance.  Strong 
measures  have  been  several  times  taken  against  them  ;  but 
they  are  a  powerful  body,  seeing  that  in  every  shop  there 
are  one  or  more  of  them,  and  they  can  turn  out  with  their 
clubs  many  thousand  strong.  They  have  what  they  call 
their  privileges,  and  are  as  ready  to  defend  them  as  are  the 
citizens  of  London  to  uphold  their  liberties.  Ordinances 
have  been  passed  many  times  by  the  fathers  of  the  city, 
regulating  their  conduct  and  the  hours  at  which  they  may 
be  abroad  and  the  carrying  of  clubs  and  matters  of  this 
kind,  but  the  apprentices  seldom  regard  them,  and  if  the 
watch  arrest  one  for  a  breach  of  regulations,  he  raises  a 
cry,  and  in  two  or  three  minutes  a  swarm  of  them  collect 
and  rescue  the  offender  from  his  hands.  Therefore  it  is 
seldom  that  the  watch  interferes  with  them." 

"  It  would  almost  seem  then  that  the  apprentices  are  in 
fact  the  masters/'  Geoffrey  said. 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  48 

"  Not  quite  as  bad  as  that,"  Master  Swindon  replied. 
"  There  are  the  rules  which  they  have  to  obey  when  at 
home,  and  if  not  they  get  a  whipping  ;  but  it  is  difficult 
to  keep  a  hand  over  them  when  they  are  abroad.  After 
the  shops  are  closed  and  the  supper  over  they  have  from 
time  immemorial  the  right  to  go  out  for  two  hours*  exer 
cise.  They  are  supposed  to  go  and  shoot  at  the  butts  ; 
but  archery,  I  grieve  to  say,  is  falling  into  disrepute,  and 
although  many  still  go  the  butts  the  practice  is  no  longer 
universal.  But  here  is  supper. " 

Few  words  were  spoken  during  the  meal.  The  foreman 
and  the  two  apprentices  came  up  and  sat  down  with  the 
family,  and  it  was  not  until  these  had  retired  that  the  con 
versation  was  again  resumed. 

"  "Where  are  you  going  to  take  them  to-morrow,  Master 
Lirriper  ?  " 

"  To-morrow  we  will  see  the  city,  the  shops  in  Chepe, 
the  Guildhall,  and  St.  Paul's,  then  we  shall  issue  out  from 
Temple  Bar  and  walk  along  the  Strand  through  the 
country  to  Westminster  and  see  the  great  abbey,  then  per 
haps  take  a  boat  back.  The  next  day,  if  the  weather  be 
fine,  we  will  row  up  to  Richniond  and  see  the  palace  there, 
and  I  hope  you  will  go  with  us,  Mistress  Dorothy  ;  it  is  a 
pleasant  promenade  and  a  fashionable,  and  methinks  the 
river  with  its  boats  is  after  all  the  prettiest  sight  in  Lon 
don." 

"  Ah,  you  think  there  can  be  nothing  pretty  without 
water.  That  is  all  very  well  for  one  who  is  ever  afloat, 
Master  Lirriper  ;  but  give  me  Chepe  at  high  noon  with  all 
its  bravery  of  dress,  and  the  bright  shops,  and  the  gallants 
of  the  court,  and  our  own  citizens  too,  who  if  not  quite  so 
gay  in  color  are  proper  men,  better  looking  to  my  mind 
than  some  of  the  fops  with  their  silver  and  satins/' 

"That's  right,  Dorothy,"  her  husband  said;  "spoken 
like  the  wife  of  a  citizen." 

All  these  plans  were  destined  to  be  frustrated.     As  soon 


44  S  T  ENGLAND '  8  AID. 

as  breakfast  was  over  the  next  morning  Master  Lirriper 
started  with  the  two  boys,  and  they  had  but  just  entered 
Chepeside  when  they  saw  two  young  men  approaching. 

•'*  Why,  Lionel,  here  is  Fnuicis  Vere  ! "  Geoffrey  ex 
claimed.  <l  I  thought  he  was  across  in  Holland  with  tli3 
Earl  of  Leicester."  They  doffed  their  caps.  Captain 
Vere,  for  such  was  now  his  rank,  looked  at  them  in  sur 
prise. 

"  Why !  "  he  exclaimed,  "  here  are  Mr.  Vickars'  two 
sons.  How  came  you  here,  lads  ?  Have  you  run  awuy 
from  home  to  see  the  wonders  of  London,  or  to  list  as 
volunteers  for  the  campaigns  against  the  Dons  ?  " 

"  I  wish  we  were,  Mr.  Francis,*'  Geoffrey  said.  "  You 
promised  when  you  were  at  Ilediugham  a  year  and  a  half 
since  that  you  would  some  day  take  us  to  the  wars  with 
you,  and  our  father,  seeing  that  neither  of  us  have  a  mind 
to  enter  the  church,  has  quite  consented  that  we  shall  be 
come  soldiers,  the  more  so  as  there  is  a  prospect  of  fighting 
for  the  persecuted  Protestants  of  Holland.  And  oh,  M  . 
Francis,  could  it  be  now  ?  You  know  we  daily  exercise 
with  arms  at  the  castle,  and  we  are  both  strong  and 
sturdy  for  our  age,  and  believe  me  you  should  not  see  us 
flinch  before  the  Spaniards  however  many  of  them  there 
were." 

"  Tut,  tut  !  "  Captain  Yere  laughed.  "  Here  are  young 
cockerels,  Allen  ;  what  think  you  of  these  for  soldiers  to 
stand  against  the  Spanish  pikemen  ?  " 

"  There  are  many  of  the  volunteers  who  are  not  very 
much  older  than  they  are,"  Captain  Allen  replied. 
"  There  are  two  in  my  company  who  must  be  between 
seventeen  and  eighteen." 

"  Ah  !  but  these  boys  are  three  years  younger  than  that.'* 

""Would  you  not  take  us  as  your  pages,  Mr.  Francis  ?  " 
Lionel  urged.  "  We  would  do  faithful  service,  and  then 
when  we  come  to  the  age  that  you  could  enter  us  as  vol 
unteers  we  should  already  have  learnt  a  little  of  war." 


B  Y  ENGLAND '  5  AID.  45 

"  Well,  well,  I  cauuot  stop  to  talk  to  you  now,  for  I  am 
on  my  way  to  the  Tower  on  business.  I  am  only  over 
from  Holland  for  a  day  or  two  with  despatches  from  the 
Earl  to  Her  Majesty's  Council,  and  am  lodging  at  West 
minster  in  a  house  that  faces  the  abbey.  It  is  one  of  my 
cousin  Edward's  houses,  and  you  will  see  the  Vere  cogni 
zance  over  the  door.  Call  there  at  one  hour  after  noon, 
and  I  will  have  a  talk  with  you  ;  but  do  not  buoy  yourselves 
up  with  hopes  as  to  your  going  with  me."  So  saying,  with 
a  friendly  nod  of  his  head  Erancis  Vere  continued  his  way 
eastward. 

"What  think  you,  Allen?"  he  asked  his  comrade  as 
they  went  along.  "  I  should  like  to  take  the  lads  with 
me  if  I  could.  Their  father,  who  is  the  rector  of  Heding- 
ham,  taught  my  cousin  Edward  as  well  as  my  brothers 
and  myself.  I  saw  a  good  deal  of  the  boys  when  I  was  at 
home.  They  are  sturdy  young  fellows,  and  used  to  prac 
tice  daily,  as  we  did  at  their  age,  with  the  men-at-arms  at 
the  castle,  and  can  use  their  weapons.  A  couple  of  years 
of  apprenticeship  would  be  good  schooling  for  them.  One 
cannot  begin  to  learu  the  art  of  war  too  young,  and  it  is 
because  we  have  all  been  so  ignorant  of  it  that  our  volun 
teers  in  Holland  have  not  done  better." 

"  I  think,  Vere,  that  they  are  too  young  yet  to  be  en 
listed  as  volunteers,  although  in  another  two  years,  per 
haps,  you  might  admit  the  elder  of  the  two.  But  I  see  no 
reason  why,  if  you  are  so  inclined,  you  should  not  take 
them  with  you  as  pages.  Each  company  has  its  pages 
and  boys,  and  you  might  take  these  two  for  the  special 
service  of  yourself  and  your  officers.  They  would  then  be 
on  pretty  well  the  same  footing  as  the  five  gentlemen 
volunteers  you  have  already  with  you,  and  would  be  dis 
tinct  from  the  lads  who  have  entered  as  pages  to  the 
company.  I  suppose  that  you  have  not  yet  your  full  num 
ber  of  boys  ?  " 

"  No ;  there  are  fifteen  boys  allowed,  one  to  each  ten 


*6  B  T  ENGLAND '  8  AID. 

uien,  and  I  am  several  short  of  this  number,  and  have  al 
ready  written  my  brother  John  to  get  six  sturdy  lads  from 
among  our  own  tenantry  and  to  send  them  over  in  the 
first  ship  from  Harwich.  Yes,  I  will  take  these  lads  with 
me.  I  like  their  spirit,  and  we  are  all  fond  of  their 
father,  who  is  a  very  kindly  as  well  as  learned  man." 

"  I  don't  suppos*  he  will  thank  you  greatly,  Francis," 
Captain  Allen  laughed. 

"  His  goodwife  is  more  likely  to  be  vexed  than  he  is/' 
Captain  Vere  said,  "for  it  will  give  him  all  the  more  time 
for  the  studies  in  which  he  is  wrapped  up.  Besides,  it 
will  be  a  real  service  to  the  boys.  It  will  shorten  their 
probation  as  volunteers,  and  they  may  get  commissions 
much  earlier  than  they  otherwise  would  do.  We  are  all 
mere  children  in  the  art  of  war ;  for  truly  before  Roger 
Morgan  first  took  out  his  volunteers  to  fight  for  the  Dutch 
there  was  scarce  a  man  in  England  who  knew  how  to  range 
a  company  in  order.  You  and  I  learned  somewhat  of  our 
business  in  Poland,  and  some  of  our  leaders  have  also  had 
a  few  lessons  in  the  art  of  war  in  foreign  countries,  but 
most  of  our  officers  are  altogether  new  to  the  work.  How 
ever,  we  have  good  masters,  and  I  trust  these  Spaniards 
may  teach  us  how  to  beat  them  in  time  ;  but  at  present,  as  I 
said,  we  are  all  going  to  school,  and  the  earlier  one  begins 
at  school  the  sooner  one  learns  its  lessons.  Besides,  we 
must  have  pages,  and  it  will  be  more  pleasant  for  me 
having  lads  who  belong  in  a  sort  of  way  to  our  family,  and 
to  whom,  if  I  am  disposed,  I  can  talk  of  people  at  home. 
They  are  high-spirited  and  full  of  fun,  and  I  should  like 
to  have  them  about  me.  But  here  we  are  at  the  Tower. 
We  shall  not  be  long,  I  hope,  over  the  list  of  arms  and 
munitions  that  the  earl  has  sent  for.  WThen  we  have  done 
we  will  take  boat  back  to  Westminster.  Half  an  hour 
will  take  us  there,  as  the  tide  will  be  with  us." 


BY  ENQLAXD*S  AID.  47 


CHAPTER  III. 

IN  THE  LOW  COUNTRY. 

If  ASTER  LIRRIPER  had  stood  apart  while  the  boys  were 
ymversing  with  Francis  Vere. 

"  What  do  you  think,  Master  Lirriper  ?"  Geoffrey  ex 
claimed  as  they  joined  him.  "  We  have  asked  Mr.  Vere 
Co  take  us  with  him  as  pages  to  the  war  in  the  Low 
Country,  and  though  he  said  we  were  not  to  be  hopeful 
about  his  reply,  I  do  think  he  will  take  us.  We  are  to  go 
round  to  Westminster  at  one  o'clock  to  see  him  again. 
What  do  you  think  of  that  ?" 

"  I  don't  know  what  to  think,  Master  Geoffrey.  It 
takes  me  all  by  surprise,  and  I  don't  know  how  I  stand  in 
the  matter.  You  see,  your  father  gave  you  into  my  charge, 
and  what  could  I  say  to ,  him  if  I  went  back  empty- 
handed  ?  " 

"  But,  you  see,  it  is  with  Francis  Vere,"  Geoffrey  said. 
"  If  it  had  been  with  any  one  else  it  would  be  different- 
But  the  Veres  are  his  patrons,  and  he  looks  upon  the  earl,, 
and  Mr.  Francis  and  his  brothers,  almost  as  he  does  on  us  ; 
and,  you  know,  he  has  already  consented  to  our  entering 
the  army  some  day.  Besides,  he  can't  blame  you  ;  be 
cause,  of  course,  Mr.  Vere  will  write  to  him  himself  and 
say  that  he  has  taken  us,  and  so  yon  can't  be  blamed  in 
the  matter.  My  father  would  know  well  enough  that  you 
could  not  withstand  the  wishes  of  one  of  the  Veres,  who- 
are  lords  of  Hedinghara  and  all  the  country  round." 

"  I  should  withstand  them  if  I  thought  they  were  wrong," 
the  boatman  said  sturdily,  "  and  if  I  were  sure  that  your 


48  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

father  would  object  to  your  going  ;  but  that  is  wn«t;  1  am 
not  sure.  He  may  think  it  is  the  best  tLing  for  you  to  begin 
earl;'  mder  the  protection  of  Master  Francis,  and  again  he 
may  think  you  a  great  deal  too  young  for  such  wild  work. 
He  has  certainly  always  let  you  have  pretty  much  your  own 
way,  and  has  allowed  you  to  come  and  go  as  you  like,  but 
this  is  a  different  business  altogether.  I  am  sorely  bested 
as  to  what  I  ought  to  do." 

"  Well,  nothing  is  settled  yet,  Master  Lirriper ;  and, 
besides,  I  don't  see  that  you  can  help  yourself  in  the  matter, 
and  if  M*.  Yore  says  he  will  take  us  I  suppose  you  can't 
carry  us  ofc  by  force." 

"  It  is  Mistress  Yickars  that  I  am  thinking  of  more  than 
your  father.  The  vicar  is  an  easy-going  gentleman,  but 
Mistress  Vickars  speaks  her  mind,  and  I  expect  she  will  be 
in  a  terrible  taking  over  it,  and  will  rate  me  soundly ; 
though,  as  you  say,  I  do  not  see  how  I  can  help  myself  in 
the  matter.  Well,  now,  let  us  look  at  the  shops  and  at  the 
Guildhall,  and  then  we  will  make  our  way  down  to  West 
minster  as  we  had  proposed  to  do  and  see  the  abbey ;  by 
that  time  it  will  be  near  the  hour  at  which  you  are  to  call 
upon  Mr.  Vere." 

But  the  sights  that  the  boys  had  been  so  longing  to  see 
had  for  the  time  lost  their  interest  in  their  eyes.  The  idea 
that  it  was  possible  that  Mr.  Ycre  would  take  them  with 
him  to  fight  against  the  cruel  oppressors  of  the  Low  Country 
was  so  absorbing  that  they  could  think  of  nothing  else. 
Even  the  wonders  of  the  Guildhall  and  St.  Paul's  received 
but  scant  ?  Mention,  and  the  armorers'  shops,  in  which 
they  had  a  no^v  and  lively  interest,  alone  sufficed  to  detain 
them.  Even  the  gibes  of  the  apprentices  fell  dead  upon 
thei^ears.  These  varlets  might  laugh,  bu  t  what  would  they 
say  if  they  knew  that  they  were  going  to  fight  the  Spaniards. 
The  thought  so  altered  them  that  they  felt  almost  a  feeling 
of  pity  for  these  lads,  condemned  to  stay  at  home  and  mind 
their  masters'  shops. 


B  Y  ENGLAND '  8  AID.  49 

As  to  John  Lirriper,  he  was  sorely  troubled  in  his  mind, 
and  divided  between  what  he  considered  his  duty  to  the 
vicar  and  his  life-long  respect  and  reverence  towards  the 
Mords  of  Hedingham.  The  feudal  system  was  extinct,  but 
feudal  ideas  still  lingered  among  the  people.  Their  lords 
could  no  longer  summon  them  to  take  the  field,  had  no 
longer  power  almost  of  life  and  death  over  them,  but  the}' 
were  still  their  lords,  and  regarded  with  the  highest  respect 
and  reverence.  The  Earls  of  Oxford  were,  in  the  eyes  of  the 
people  of  those  parts  of  Essex  where  their  estates  lay,  per 
sonages  of  greater  importance  than  the  queen  herself,  of 
whose  power  and  atributes  they  had  but  a  very  dim  notion. 
It  was  not  so  very  long  since  people  had  risen  in  rebellion 
against  the  queen,  but  such  an  idea  as  that  of  rising  against 
their  lords  had  never  entered  the  mind  of  a  single  inhab 
itant  of  Hedingham. 

However,  Master  Lirriper  came  to  the  conclusion  that  he 
was,  as  Geoffrey  had  said,  powerless  to  interfere.  If  Mr 
Francis  Vere  decided  to  take  the  boys  with  him,  what  coul(i 
ue  do  to  prevent  it  ?  He  could  hardly  take  them  forcibl} 
down  to  the  boat  against  their  will,  and  even  could  he  do 
so  their  father  might  not  approve,  and  doubtless  the  earl, 
when  he  came  to  hear  of  it,  would  be  seriously  angry  at 
this  act  of  defiance  of  his  kinsman.  Still,  he  was  sure  that 
he  should  have  a  very  unpleasant  time  with  Mistress  Vickars. 
But,  as  he  reassured  himself,  it  was,  after  all,  better  to  put 
up  with  a  woman's  scolding  than  to  bear  the  displeasure  of 
the  Earl  of  Oxford,  who  could  turn  him  out  of  his  house, 
ruin  his  business,  and  drive  him  from  Hedingham.  After 
all,  it  was  natural  that  these  lads  should  like  to  embark  on 
this  adventure  with  Mr.  Francis  Vere,  and  it  would  doubt 
less  be  to  their  interest  to  be  thus  closely  connected  with 
him.  At  any  rate,  if  it  was  to  be  it  was,  and  he,  John 
Lirriper,  could  do  nothing  to  prevent  it.  Having  arrived 
at  this  conclusion  he  decided  to  make  the  best  of  it,  and 
began  to  chat  cheerfully  with  the  boys. 
4 


50  BY  ENGLAND ' 8  AID. 

Precisely  at  the  appointed  hour  John  Lirriper  arrived 
with  the  two  lads  at  the  entrance  to  the  house  facing  the 
abbey.  Two  or  three  servitors,  whose  doublets  were  em 
broidered  with  the  cognizance  of  the  Veres,  were  standing 
in  front  of  the  door. 

"  Why,  it  is  Master  Lirriper  ! "  one  of  them  said.  "  Why, 
what  has  brought  you  here  ?  I  did  not  know  that  your 
trips  often  extended  to  London." 

"Nor  do  they/'  John  Lirriper  said.  "  It  was  the  wind 
and  my  nephew's  craft  the  Susan  that  brought  me  to  Lou- 
don,  and  it  is  the  will  of  Mr.  Francis  that  these  two  young 
gentlemen  should  meet  him  here  at  one  o'clock  that  has 
brought  me  to  this  door." 

' '  Captain  Francis  is  in  ;  for,  you  know,  he  is  a  captain 
now,  having  been  lately  appointed  to  a  company  in  the 
Earl  of  Leicester's  army.  He  returned  an  hour  since,  and 
has  but  now  finished  his  meal.  Do  you  wish  to  go  up  with 
these  young  masters,  or  shall  I  conduct  them  to  him  ?  " 

"  You  had  best  do  that,"  John  Lirriper  answered.  "  I 
will  remain  here  below  if  Captain  Francis  desires  to  see  me 
or  has  any  missive  to  entrust  to  me." 

The  boys  followed  the  servant  upstairs,  and  were  shown 
into  a  room  where  Francis  Vere,  his  cousin  the  Earl  of 
Oxford,  and  Captain  Allen  were  seated  at  table. 

"  Well,  lads,"  the  earl  said,  "  so  you  want  to  follow  my 
cousin  Francis  to  the  wars  ?  " 

"  That  is  our  wish,  my  lord,  if  Captain  Francis  will  be 
so  good  as  to  take  us  with  him." 

"  And  what  will  my  good  tutor  your  father  say  to  it  ?  " 
the  earl  asked  smiling. 

"I  think,  my  lord,"  Geoffrey  said  boldly,  "that  if  you 
yourself  will  tell  my  father  you  think  it  is  for  our  good,  he 
will  say  naught  against  it." 

"  Oh,  you  want  to  throw  the  responsibility  upon  me,  and 
to  embroil  me  with  your  father  and  Mistress  Vickars  as  an 
abettor  of  my  cousin  Francis  in  the  kidnapping  of  children  ? 


B  T  EXGLA  ND '  S  AID.  51 

Well,  Francis,  yon  had  better  explain  to  them  what  their 
duties  will  be  if  they  go  with  you." 

"  You  will  be  my  pages,"  Francis  Vere  said,  "  and  will 
perform  the  usual  duties  of  pages  in  good  families  when  in 
the  field.  It  is  the  duty  of  pages  to  aid  in  collecting  fire 
wood  and  forage,  and  in  all  other  ways  to  make  themselves 
useful.  You  will  bear  the  same  sort  of  relation  to  the 
gentlemen  volunteers  as  they  do  towards  the  officers.  They 
are  aspirants  for  commissions  as  officers  as  you  will  be  to 
become  gentlemen  volunteers.  You  must  not  think  that 
your  duties  will  be  light,  for  they  will  not,  and  you  will 
have  to  bear  many  discomforts  and  hardships.  But  you 
will  be  in  an  altogether  different  position  from  that  of  the 
boys  who  are  the  pages  of  the  company.  You  will,  apart 
from  your  duties,  and  bearing  in  inind  the  difference  of 
your  age,  associate  with  the  officers  and  the  gentlemen 
volunteers  on  terms  of  equality  when  not  engaged  upon 
duty.  On  duty  you  will  have  to  render  the  same  strict 
and  unquestionable  obedience  that  all  soldiers  pay  to  those 
of  superior  rank.  What  say  you  ?  Are  you  still  anxious 
to  go  ?  Because,  if  so,  I  have  decided  to  take  you." 

Geoffrey  and  Lionel  both  expressed  their  thanks  in  proper 
terms,  and  their  earnest  desire  to  accompany  Captain  Vere, 
and  to  behave  in  all  ways  conformably  to  his  orders  and 
instructions. 

"Very  well,  that  is  settled,"  Francis  Vere  said.  "The 
earl  is  journeying  down  to  Hedingham  to-morrow,  and  has 
kindly  promised  to  take  charge  of  a  letter  from  me  to  your 
father,  and  personally  to  assure  him  that  this  early  em 
barkation  upon  military  life  would  prove  greatly  to  your 
advantage." 

' '  Supposing  that  you  are  not  killed  by  the  Spaniards  or 
carried  off  by  fever,"  the  earl  put  in  ;  "  for  although  pos 
sibly  that  might  be  an  advantage  to  humanity  in  general, 
it  could  scarcely  be  considered  one  to  you  personally." 

"  We  are  ready  to  take  our  risk  of  that,  my  lord,"  Geof- 


62  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

frey  said  ;  "and  are  indeed  greatly  beholden  both  to  Cap 
tain  Francis  for  his  goodness  in  taking  us  with  him,  and 
to  yourself  in  kindly  undertaking  the  mission  of  reconcil 
ing  our  father  to  our  departure. " 

"  You  have  not  told  me  yet  how  it  is  that  I  find  yru  in 
London  ?  "  Francis  Vere  said. 

"  We  only  came  up  for  a  week,  sir,  to  see  the  town.  We 
are  in  charge  of  Master  Lirriper,  who  owns  a  barge  on  the 
river,  and  plies  between  Hedingham  and  Bricklesey,  but 
who  was  coming  up  to  London  in  a  craft  belonging  to  his 
nephew,  and  who  took  charge  of  us.  We  are  staying  at 
the  house  of  Master  Swindon,  a  citizen  and  ship- chandler. " 

"  Is  Master  Lirriper  below  ?  " 

"He  is,  sir." 

"  Then  in  that  case  he  had  better  go  back  to  the  house 
and  bring  your  mails  here.  I  shall  sail  from  Deptford  the 
day  after  to-morrow  with  the  turn  of  tide.  You  had  best 
remain  here  now.  There  will  be  many  things  necessary 
for  yon  to  get  before  you  start.  I  will  give  instructions 
to  one  of  my  men-at-arms  to  go  with  you  to  purchase 
them." 

"  I  will  take  their  outfit  upon  myself,  Francis,"  the  earl 
said.  "  My  steward  shall  go  out  with  them  and  see  to  it. 
It  is  the  least  I  can  do  when  I  am  abetting  you  in  depriv 
ing  my  old  tutor  of  his  sons."  He  touched  a  bell  and  a 
servitor  entered.  "  See  that  these  young  gentlemen  are 
fed  and  attended  to.  They  will  remain  here  for  the  night. 
Tell  Master  Dotterell  to  come  hither  to  me." 

The  boys  bowed  deeply  and  retired. 

"  It  is  all  settled,  Master  Lirriper,"  they  said  when  they 
reached  the  hall  below.  "  We  are  to  sail  with  Captain 
Francis  the  day  after  to-morrow,  and  you  will  be  pleased 
to  hear  that  the  earl  himself  has  taken  charge  of  the  mat 
ter,  and  will  see  our  father  and  communicate  the  news  to 
him." 

"That  is  a  comfort  indeed,"  JoliTi  Lirriper  said  fer- 


ST  ENGLAND ' S  AID.  53 

vcntly  ;  "  for  I  would  most  as  soon  have  had  to  tell  him 
that  the  Susan  had  gone  down  and  that  you  were  both 
drowned,  as  that  I  had  let  you  both  slip  away  to  the  wars 
when  lie  had  given  you  into  my  charge.  But  if  the  earl 
takes  the  matter  in  hand  I  do  not  think  that  even  your 
lady  mother  can  bear  very  heavily  on  me.  And  now,  what 
is  going  tc  be  done  ?" 

"  We  are  to  remain  here  in  order  that  suitable  clothes 
may  be  obtained  for  us  by  the  time  we  sail.  Will  you 
bring  down  to-morrow  morning  our  wallets  from  Master 
Swindon's,  and  thank  him  and  his  good  dame  for  their 
hospitality,  and  say  that  we  are  sorry  to  leave  them  thus 
suddenly  without  having  an  opportunity  of  thanking  them 
ourselves  ?  We  will  write  letters  to-night  to  our  father 
and  mother,  and  give  them  to  you  to  take  with  you  when 
you  return. " 

John  Lirriper  at  once  took  his  departure,  greatly  relieved 
in  mind  to  find  that  the  earl  himself  had  taken  the  re 
sponsibility  upon  his  shoulders,  and  would  break  the  news 
long  before  he  himself  reached  Hedingham.  A  few  min 
utes  later  a  servitor  conducted  the  boys  to  an  apartment 
where  a  meal  was  laid  for  them  ;  and  as  soon  as  this  was 
over  they  were  joined  by  the  steward,  who  requested  them 
to  set  out  with  him  at  once,  as  there  were  many  things  to 
be  done  and  but  short  time  for  doing  them.  No  difficulty 
in  the  way  of  time  was,  however,  thrown  in  the  way  by  the 
various  tradesmen  they  visited,  these  being  all  perfectly 
ready  to  put  themselves  to  inconvenience  to  do  pleasure  to 
so  valuable  a  patron  as  the  powerful  Earl  of  Oxford. 

Three  suits  of  clothes  were  ordered  for  each  of  them  : 
the  one  such  as  that  worn  by  pages  in  noble  families  upon 
ordinary  occasions,  another  of  a  much  richer  kind  for 
special  ceremonies  and  gayeties,  the  third  a  strong,  service 
able  suit  for  use  when  actually  in  the  field.  Then  they 
were  taken  to  an  armorer's  where  each  was  provided  with 
a  light  morion  or  headpiece,  breast-plate  and  backpiece, 


M  BY  ENGLAND'S  AW. 

sword  and  dagger.  A  sufficient  supply  of  under  garments, 
boots,  and  other  necessaries  were  also  purchased  ;  and 
when  all  was  complete  they  returned  highly  delighted  to 
the  house.  It  was  still  scarce  five  o'clock,  and  they  went 
across  to  the  abbey  and  wandered  for  some  time  through 
its  aisles,  greatly  impressed  with  its  dignity  and  beauty 
now  that  their  own  affairs  were  off  their  mind. 

They  returned  to  the  house  again,  and  after  supper 
wrote  their  letters  to  their  father  and  mother,  saying  that 
they  hoped  they  would  not  be  displeased  at  the  step  they 
had  taken,  and  which  they  would  not  have  ventured  upon 
had  they  not  already  obtained  their  father's  consent  to 
their  entering  the  army.  They  knew,  of  course,  that  he 
had  not  contemplated  their  doing  so  for  some  little  time  ; 
but  as  so  excellent  an  opportunity  had  offered,  and  above 
all,  as  they  were  going  out  to  fight  against  the  Spaniards 
for  the  oppressed  people  of  the  Low  Countries,  they  hoped 
their  parents  would  approve  of  the  steps  they  had  taken, 
not  having  had  time  or  opportunity  to  consult  them. 

At  noon  two  days  later  Francis  Vere  with  Captain  Allen 
and  the  two  boys  took  their  seats  in  the  stern  of  a  skiff 
manned  by  six  rowers.  In  the  bow  were  the  servitors  of 
the  two  officers,  and  the  luggage  was  stowed  in  the  ex 
treme  stern. 

"  The  tide  is  gettiug  slack,  is  it  not  ? "  Captain  Vere 
asked  the  boatmen. 

"  Yes,  sir  ;  it  will  not  run  up  much  longer.  It  will  be 
pretty  well  slack- water  by  the  time  we  get  to  the  bridge." 

Keeping  close  to  the  bank  the  boat  proceeded  at  a  rapid 
pace.  Several  times  the  two  young  officers  stood  up  and 
exchanged  salutations  with  ladies  or  gentlemen  of  their  ac 
quaintance.  As  the  boatman  had  anticipated,  tide  was 
alack  by  the  time  they  arrived  at  London  Bridge,  and  they 
now  steered  out  into  the  middle  of  the  river. 

"  Give  way,  lads/'  Captain  Allen  said.  "  We  told  the 
captain  we  would  not  keep  him  waiting  long  after  high- 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  56 

water,  and  he  will  be  getting  impatient  if  he  does  not  see 
us  before  long." 

As  they  shot  past  the  Susan  the  boya  wared  their  hands 
to  Master  Lirriper,  who,  after  coming  down  in  the  morn 
ing  and  receiving  their  letters  for  their  parents,  had  re 
turned  at  once  to  the  city  and  had  taken  his  place  on 
board  the  Susan,  so  as  to  be  able  to  tell  their  father  that 
he  had  seen  the  last  of  them.  The  distance  between  Lon 
don  Bridge  and  Deptford  was  traversed  in  a  rery  short 
time.  A  vessel  with  her  flags  flying  and  her  canvas  already 
loosened  was  hanging  to  a  buoy  some  distance  out  in  the 
stream,  and  as  the  boat  came  near  enough  for  the  captain 
to  distinguish  those  on  board,  the  mooring-rope  was  slipped, 
the  head  sails  flattened  in,  and  the  vessel  began  to 
swing  round.  Before  her  head  was  down  stream  the  boat 
was  alongside.  The  two  officers  followed  by  the  boys  as 
cended  the  ladder  by  th.  side.  The  luggage  was  quickly 
handed  up,  and  the  servitors  followed.  The  sails  were 
sheeted  home,  and  the  vessel  began  to  move  rapidly 
through  the  water. 

The  boys  had  thought  the  Susan  an  imposing  craft,  but 
they  were  surprised,  indeed,  at  the  space  on  board  the  Dover 
Castle.  In  the  stern  there  was  a  lofty  poop  with  spacious 
ca~  ins.  Six  guns  were  ranged  along  on  each  side  of  the 
deck,  an.  when  the  sails  'ere  got  up  they  seemed  so  vast 
to  th  boys  that  they  fe.c  a  sense  of  littleness  on  board  the 
great  craft.  They  had  been  relieved  to  find  that  Captain 
Vere  had  his  own  servitor  with  him  ;  for  in  talking  it  over 
they  had  mutually  expressed  their  doubt  as  to  their  ability 
to  render  such  service  as  Captain  Vere  would  be  ac 
customed  to. 

The  wind  was  from  the  southwest,  and  the  vessel  was 
off  Sheerness  before  the  tide  turned.  There  was,  however, 
no  occasion  to  anchor,  for  the  wind  was  strong  enough  to 
take  them  against  the  flood. 

During  the  voyage  they  had  no  duties  to  perform.     The 


J£  BY  JCNGLAAD'S  AID. 

ship's  cook  prepared  the  meals,  and  the  officers'  servants 
waited  on  them,  the  lads  taking  their  meals  with  the  two 
officers.  Their  destination  was  Bcrgen-op-Zoom,  a  town 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Scheldt,  of  the  garrison  of  which  the 
companies  of  both  Francis  Yere  and  Captain  All3i:  formed 
part. 

As  soon  as  the  low  coasts  of  Holland  came  in  sight  the 
3oys  watched  them  with  the  most  lively  interest. 

•'  "We  are  passing  Sluys  now,"  Captain  Vere  said.  "  The 
laud  almost  ahead  of  us  is  Walcheren  ;  and  that  spire 
belongs  to  Flushing.  "We  could  go  outside  and  up  the 
channel  between  the  island  and  Bev eland,  and  then  up 
the  Eastern  Scheldt  to  Bergen-op-Zoom  ;  but  instead  of 
that  we  shall  follow  the  western  channel,  which  is  more 
direct." 

' '  It  is  as  flat  as  our  Essex  coast,"  Geoffrey  remarked. 

"  Aye,  and  flatter  ;  for  the  greater  part  of  the  land  lies 
below  the  level  of  the  sea,  which  is  only  kept  out  by  great 
dams  and  dykes.  At  times  when  the  rivers  are  high  and 
the  wind  keeps  back  their  waters  they  burst  the  dams  and 
spread  over  a  vast  extent  of  country.  The  Zuider-Zee  was 
so  formed  in  1170  and  1395,  and  covers  a  tract  as  large  as 
the  whole  county  of  Essex.  Twenty-six  years  later  the 
river  Maas  broke  its  banks  and  flooded  a  wide  district. 
Seventy-two  villages  were  destroyed  and  100,000  people 
lost  their  life.  The  lands  have  never  been  recovered  : 
and  where  a  fertile  country  once  stood  is  now  a  mere 
swamp." 

"  I  shouldn't  like  living  there,"  Lionel  said.  "  It  would 
be  terrible,  every  time  the  rivers  are  full  and  the  wind 
blows,  to  think  that  at  any  moment  the  banks  may  burst 
and  the  flood  come  rushing  over  you." 

"  It  is  all  habit,"  Captain  Yere  replied  ;  "  I  don't  sup 
pose  they  trouble  themselves  about  it.  But  they  are  very 
particular  in  keeping  their  dykes  in  good  repair.  The 
water  is  one  of  the  great  defenses  of  their  country.  In 


B  Y  ENGLAND '  5  AID.  57 

the  first  place  there  are  innumerable  streams  to  be  crossed 
by  an  invader,  and  in  the  second,  they  can  as  a  last 
resource  cut  the  dykes  and  flood  the  country.  These 
Dutchmen,  as  far  as  I  have  seen  of  them,  are  hard-working 
and  industrious  people,  steady  and  patient,  and  resolved 
to  defend  their  independence  to  the  last.  This  they  have 
indeed  proved  by  the  wonderful  resistance  they  have  made 
against  the  power  of  Spain.  There,  you  see  the  ship's 
head  has  been  turned  and  we  shall  before  long  be  in  the 
channel.  Sluys  lies  up  that  channel  on  the  right.  It  is 
an  important  place.  Large  vessels  can  go  no  further,  but 
are  unloaded  there  and  the  cargoes  taken  to  Bruges  and 
thence  distributed  to  many  other  towns.  They  say  that 
in  1468  as  many  as  a  hundred  and  fifty  ships  a  day  arrived 
at  Sluys.  That  gives  you  an  idea  of  the  trade  that  the 
Netherlands  carry  on.  The  commerce  of  this  one  town 
was  as  great  as  is  that  of  London  at  the  present  time. 
But  since  the  troubles  the  trade  of  Sluys  has  fallen  off  a 
good  deal.'* 

The  ship  had  to  anchor  here  for  two  or  three  hours 
until  the  tide  turned,  for  the  wind  had  fallen  very  light 
and  they  could  not  make  head  against  the  ebb.  As  soon 
as  it  turned  they  again  proceeded  on  their  way,  dropping 
quietly  up  with  the  tide.  The  boys  climbed  up  into  the 
tops,  and  thence  could  see  a  wide  extent  of  country  dotted 
with  villages  stretching  beyond  the  banks,  which  restricted 
their  view  from  the  decks.  In  five  hours  Bergen-op-Zoom 
came  in  sight,  and  they  presently  dropped  anchor  opposite 
the  town.  The  boat  was  lowered,  and  the  two  officers 
with  the  lads  were  rowed  ashore.  They  were  met  as  they 
landed  by  several  young  officers. 

"  Welcome  back,  Yere  ;  welcome,  Allen.  You  have 
been  lucky  indeed  in  having  a  few  days  in  England,  and 
getting  a  view  of  something  besides  this  dreary  flat  coun 
try  and  its  sluggish  rivers.  What  is  the  last  news  from 
London  ?  " 


58  B  T  ENGLAND '  B  AID. 

"  There  is  little  news  enough/*'  Vere  replied.  <-  "V^e 
were  only  four  days  in  London,  and  were  busy  all  the 
time.  And  how  are  things  here  ?  Now  that  summer  is 
at  hand  and  the  country  drying  the  Dons  ought  to  be 
bestirring  themselves." 

"  They  say  that  they  are  doing  so,"  the  officer  replied. 
'-'  We  have  news  that  the  Duke  of  Parma  is  assembling  his 
army  at  Bruges,  where  he  is  collecting  the  pick  of  the 
Spanish  infantry  with  a  number  of  Italian  regiments 
which  have  joined  him.  He  sent  off  the  Marquess  Del 
Vasto  with  the  Sieur  De  Hautepenne  towards  Bois-le-Duc. 
General  Count  Hohenlohe,  who,  as  you  know,  we  English 
always  call  Count  Holland,  went  off  with  a  large  force  to 
meet  him,  and  we  heard  only  this  morning  that  a  battle 
has  been  fought,  Hantepenne  killed,  and  the  fort  of  Creve- 
cosur  on  the  Maas  captured.  From  what  I  hear,  some  of 
our  leaders  think  that  it  was  a  mistake  so  to  scatter  our 
forces,  and  if  Parma  moves  forward  from  Bruges  against 
Sluys,  which  is  likely  enough,  we  shall  be  sorely  put  to  it 
to  save  the  place." 

As  they  were  talking  they  proceeded  into  the  town,  and 
presently  reached  the  house  where  Francis  Vere  had  his 
quarters.  The  officers  and  gentlemen  volunteers  of  his 
company  soon  assembled,  and  Captain  Vere  introduced  the 
two  boys  to  them. 

"  They  are  young  gentlemen  of  good  family,"  he  said, 
•'  who  will  act  as  my  pages  until  they  are  old  enough  to 
be  enrolled  as  gentlemen  volunteers.  I  commend  them  to 
your  good  offices.  Their  father  is  a  learned  and  reverend 
gentleman  who  was  my  tutor,  and  also  tutor  to  my  cousin, 
the  Earl  of  Oxford,  by  whom  he  is  greatly  valued.  They 
are  lads  of  spirit,  and  have  been  instructed  in  the  use  of 
arms  at  Hedingham  as  if  they  had  been  members  of  our 
family.  I  am  sure,  gentlemen  volunteers,  that  you  will 
receive  them  as  friends.  I  propose  that  they  shall  take 
their  meala  with  you,  but  of  course  they  will  lodge  here 


B  T  ENGLAND '  S  AID.  69 

with  me  and  my  officers  ;  but  as  you  are  in  the  next  house 
this  will  cause  no  inconvenience.  I  trust  that  we  shall 
jaot  remain  here  long,  but  shall  soon  be  on  the  move.  We 
have  now  been  here  seven  months,  and  it  is  high  time  we 
were  doing  something.  We  didn't  bargain  to  come  over 
here  and  settle  down  for  life  in  a  dull  Dutch  town." 

In  a  few  hours  the  boys  found  themselves  quite  at  home 
in  their  new  quarters.  The  gentlemen  volunteers  received 
them  cordially,  and  they  found  that  for  the  present  their 
duties  would  be  extremely  light,  consisting  chiefly  in 
carrying  messages  and  orders  ;  for  as  the  officers  had  all 
servants  of  their  own,  Captain  Vere  dispensed  with  their 
attendance  at  meals.  There  was  much  to  amuse  and  in 
terest  them  in  Bergen-op-Zoom.  It  reminded  ^hem  to 
some  extent  of  Harwich,  with  its  rrow  stree  and 
quaint  houses  ;  but  the  fortifications  were  far  stronger, 
and  the  number  of  churches  stru  ther*  a«  prodigi"  ;. 
The  population  differed  in  no  ery  l°rg  degree  in  di^sr 
from  that  of  England,  but  t  e  people  struck  them  as 
being  slower  and  more  deliberate  in  their  motions.  The 
women's  costumes  differed  much  more  widely  from  those 
to  which  they  were  accustomed,  and  their  strange  and 
varied  head-dresses,  their  bright  colored  handkerchiefs, 
and  the  amount  of  gold  necklaces  and  bracelets  that  they 
wore,  struck  them  with  surprise. 

Their  stay  in  Bergen-op-Zoom  was  even  shorter  than 
they  had  anticipated,  for  three  days  after  their  arrival  :i 
boat  came  with  a  letter  from  Sir  William  Russell,  the  gov 
ernor  at  Flushing.  He  said  that  he  had  just  received  an 
urgent  letter  from  the  Dutch  governor  of  Sluys,  saying 
that  Parma's  army  was  advancing  from  Bruges  towards 
the  city,  and  had  seized  and  garrisoned  the  fort  of  Blank- 
enburg  on  the  sea-coast  to  prevent  reinforcements  arriving 
from  Ostend  ;  he  therefore  prayed  the  governor  of  Flush 
ing  to  send  off  troops  and  provisions  with  all  haste  to 
enable  him  to  resist  the  attack.  Sir  William  requested 


60  BY  ENGLAND ' S  AID. 

that  the  governor  of  Bergen-op-Zoom  would  at  once  em 
bark  the  greater  portion  of  his  force  on  board  ship  and 
send  them  to  Sluys.  He  himself  was  having  a  vessel  filled 
with  grain  for  the  use  of  the  inhabitants,  and  was  also 
sending  every  man  he  could  spare  from  Flushing. 

In  a  few  minutes  all  was  bustle  in  the  town.  The 
trumpets  of  the  various  companies  called  the  soldiers  to 
arms,  and  in  a  very  short  time  the  troops  were  on  their 
•\?ny  towards  the  river.  Here  several  ships  had  been  re- 
quisistioned  for  the  service  ;  and  as  the  companies  marched 
down  they  were  conducted  to  the  ships  to  which  they 
were  allotted  by  the  quarter-masters.  Geoffrey  and  Lionel 
felt  no  small  pride  as  they  marched  down  with  their  troop. 
They  had  for  the  first  time  donned  their  steel-caps,  breast 
and  back  pieces  ;  but  this  was  rather  for  convenience  of 
carriage  than  for  any  present  utility.  They  had  at  Captain 
Vere's  orders  left  their  oi-Sinary  clothes  behind  them,  and 
were  now  attired  in  thick  serviceable  jerkins,  with  skirts 
coining  down  nearly  to  the  knee,  like  those  worn  by  the 
troops.  -Jiiey  marched  at  the  rear  of  the  company,  the 
other  pages,  similarly  attired,  following  them. 

As  soon  as  the  troops  were  011  board  ship,  sail  was  made 
and  the  vessels  dropped  down  the  stream.  The  Avind  was 
very  light,  and  it  was  not  until  thirty  hours  after  start 
ing  that  the  little  fleet  arrived  off  Sluys.  The  town,  which 
was  nearly  egg-shaped,  lay  close  to  the  river,  which  was 
called  the  Zwin.  At  the  eastern  end,  in  the  center  of  a 
detached  piece  of  water,  stood  the  castle,  connected  with 
the  town  by  a  bridge  of  boats.  The  Zwin  formed  the  de 
fense  on  the  north  side,  while  the  south  and  west  were 
covered  by  a  very  wide  moat,  along  the  center  of  which  ran 
a  dyke,  dividing  it  into  two  channels.  On  the  west  side 
this  moat  extended  to  the  Zwin,  and  was  crossed  at  the 
point  of  junction  by  the  bridge  leading  to  the  west  o:ate. 

The  walls  inclosed  a  considerable  space,  containing 
fields  and  gardens.  Seven  windmills  stood  oa  the  ram- 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 


61 


parts.  The  tower  of  the  town-hall,  and  those  of  the 
churches  of  Our  Lady,  St.  John,  and  the  Grey  Friars  rose 
high  above  the  town. 


The  ships  from  Flushing  and  Bergen-op-Zoom  sailed  up 
together,  and  the  800  men  who  landed  were  received  with 
immense  enthusiasm  by  the  inhabitants,  who  were  Pro- 


62  B  T  ENGLAND '  5  AID. 

testants,  and  devoted  to  the  cause  of  independence.  The 
English  were  under  the  command  of  Sir  Roger  Williams, 
who  had  already  seen  so  many  years  of  service  in  the  Low 
Countries  ;  and  under  him  were  Morgan,  Thomas  Basker- 
Tille,  and  Huntley,  who  had  long  served  with  him. 

Roger  Williams  was  an  admirable  man  for  service  of  this 
kind.  He  had  distinguished  himself  by  many  deeds  of 
reckless  bravery.  He  possessed  an  inexhaustible  fund  of 
confidence  and  high  spirits,  and  in  his  company  it  was 
impossible  to  feel  despondent,  however  desperate  the 
situation. 

The  citizens  placed  their  houses  at  the  disposal  of  their 
new  allies,  handsome  quarters  were  allotted  to  the  officers, 
and  the  soldiers  were  all  housed  in  private  dwellings  or 
the  warehouses  of  the  merchants.  The  inhabitants  had 
already  for  some  days  been  working  hard  at  their  defenses, 
and  the  English  at  once  joined  them  in  their  labors, 
strengthening  the  weak  portions  of  the  walls,  mounting 
cannon  upon  the  towers,  and  preparing  in  all  ways  to  give 
a  warm  reception  to  the  Spaniards. 

Captain  Vere,  his  lieutenant  and  ensign  and  his  two 
pages,  were  quartered  in  the  house  of  a  wealthy  merchant, 
whose  family  did  all  in  their  power  to  make  them  con- 
f  or  table.  It  was  a  grand  old  house,  and  the  boys,  accus 
tomed  as  they  were  to  the  splendors  of  Hedingham  Castle, 
agreed  that  the  simple  merchants  of  the  Low  Countries 
were  far  in  advance  of  English  nobles  in  the  comforts  and 
conveniences  of  their  dwellings.  The  walls  of  the  rooms 
were  all  heavily  paneled  ;  rich  curtains  hung  before  the 
casements.  The  furniture  was  not  only  richly  carved,  but 
comfortable.  Heavy  hangings  before  the  doors  excluded 
draughts,  and  in  the  principal  apartments  Eastern  carpets 
covered  the  floors.  The  meals  were  served  on  spotless 
white  linen.  Rich  plate  stood  on  the  sideboard,  and  gold 
and  silver  vesels  of  rare  carved  work  from  Italy  glittered 
in  the  armoires. 


5 Y  ENGLAND ' S  AID.  63 

Above  all,  from  top  to  bottom,  the  house  was  scrupu 
lously  clean.  Not  a  particle  of  dust  dimmed  the  bright 
ness  of  the  furniture,  and  even  now,  when  the  city  was 
threatened  with  siege,  the  merchant's  wife  never  relaxed 
her  vigilance  over  the  doings  of  her  maids,  who  seemed  to 
the  boys  to  be  perpetually  engaged  in  scrubbing,  dusting, 
and  polishing. 

"Our  mother  prides  herself  on  the  neatness  of  her 
house,"  Geoffrey  said  ;  "  but  what  would  she  say,  I  won 
der,  were  she  to  see  one  of  these  Dutch  households  ?  1 
fear  that  the  maids  would  have  a  hard  time  of  it  after 
wards,  and  our  father  would  be  fairly  driven  out  of  his 
library." 

"It  is  all  very  well  to  be  clean/' Lionel  said  ;  "but  I 
think  they  carry  it  too  far  here.  Peace  and  quietness 
count  for  something,  and  it  doesn't  seem  to  me  that  Dutch 
men,  fond  of  it  as  they  say  they  are,  know  even  the  mean 
ing  of  the  words  as  far  as  their  homes  are  concerned. 
Why,  it  always  seems  to  be  cleaning  day,  and  they  must 
be  afraid  of  going  into  their  own  houses  with  their  boots 
on!" 

"Yes,  I  felt  quite  like  a  criminal  to  day,"  Geoffrey 
laughed,  "  when  I  came  in  muddy  up  to  the  waist,  after 
working  down  there  by  the  sluices.  I  believe  when  the 
Spaniards  open  fire  these  people  will  be  more  distracted 
by  the  dust  caused  by  falling  tiles  and  chimneys  than  by 
any  danger  of  their  lives." 

Great  difficulties  beset  the  Duke  of  Parma  at  the  com 
mencement  of  the  siege.  Sluyswas  built  upon  the  only 
piece  of  solid  ground  in  the  district,  and  it  was  surrounded 
by  such  a  labyrinth  of  canals,  ditches,  and  swamps,  that 
it  was  said  that  it  was  almost  as  difficult  to  find  Sluys  as 
it  was  to  capture  it.  Consequently,  it  was  impossible  to 
find  ground  solid  enough  for  a  camp  to  be  pitched  upon, 
and  the  first  labor  was  the  erection  of  wooden  huts  for 
the  troops  upon  piles  driven  into  the  ground.  These 


64  B  T  ENGLAND '  S  AID. 

huts  were  protected  from  the  fire  of  the  defenders  by  bags 
of  earth  brought  in  boats  from  a  long  distance.  The  main 
point  selected  for  the  attack  was  the  western  gate  ;  but 
batteries  were  also  placed  to  play  upon  the  castle  and  the 
bridge  of  boats  connecting  it  with  the  town. 

"  There  is  one  advantage  in  their  determining  to  attack 
us  at  the  western  extremity  of  the  touv.  John  Menyn,  the 
merchant  at  whose  house  Captain  Yere  and  his  party  were 
lodging,  remarked  when  his  guest  informed  him  there 
was  no  longer  any  doubt  as  to  the  point  at  which  the 
Spaniards  intended  to  attack,  "for  they  will  not  be  able 
to  blow  up  our  walls  with  mines  in  that  quarter.'' 

"  How  is  that  ?"  Francis  Vere  asked. 

"If  you  can  spare  half  an  hour  of  your  time  I  will  show 
you,''  the  merchant  said. 

"  I  can  spare  it  now,  Von  Menyn,"  Vere  replied  ;  "  for 
the  information  is  important,  whatever  it  may  be." 

"  I  will  conduct  you  there  at  once.  There  is  no  time 
like  the  present" 

"  Shall  we  follow  you,  sir  ?  "  Geoffrey  asked  his  captain. 

"Yes,  come  along,"  Vere  replied.  "  The  matter  is  of 
interest,  and  for  the  life  of  me  I  cannot  make  out  what 
this  obstacle  can  be  of  which  our  host  speaks." 

They  at  once  set  out. 

John  Menyn  led  them  to  a  warehouse  close  to  the  west 
ern  wall,  and  spoke  a  few  words  to  its  owner,  who  at  once 
took  three  lanterns  from  the  wall  and  lighted  them,  hand 
ing  one  to  Vere,  another  to  John  Menyn,  and  taking  the 
other  himself  ;  he  then  unlocked  a  massive  door.  A  flight 
of  steps  leading  apparently  to  a  cellar  were  visible.  He 
led  the  way  down,  the  two  men  following,  and  the  boys 
bringing  up  the  rear.  The  descent  was  far  deeper  than 
they  had  expected,  and  when  they  reached  the  bottom 
they  found  themselves  in  a  vast  arched  cellar  filled  with 
barrels.  From  this  they  procee-3^  int^  Another,  and  again 
into  a  third. 


B Y  ENGLAND ' 5  AID.  65 

*''  What  are  these  great  magazines  ? "  Francis  Vere 
asked  in  surprise. 

"  They  are  wine-cellars,  and  there  are  scores  similar  to 
lliose  yon  see.  Sluys  is  the  center  of  the  wine  trade  of 
Flanders  and  Holland,  and  cellars  like  these  extend  right 
under  the  wall.  All  the  warehouses  along  here  have 
similar  cellars.  This  end  of  the  town  was  the  driest,  and 
the  soil  most  easily  excavated.  That  is  why  the  magazines 
for  wines  are  all  clustered  here.  There  is  not  a  foot  of 
ground  behind  and  under  the  walls  at  this  end  that  is  not 
similarly  occupied,  and  if  the  Spaniards  try  to  drive  mines 
to  blow  up  the  walls,  they  will  simply  break  their  way 
into  these  cellars,  where  we  can  meet  them  and  drive  them 
back  again." 

"  Excellent ! "  Francis  Vere  said.  "  This  will  relieve 
ns  of  the  work  of  countermining,  which  is  always  tiresome 
and  dangerous,  and  would  be  specially  so  here,  where  we 
should  have  to  dive  under  that  deep  moat  outside  your 
walls.  Now  we  shall  only  have  to  keep  a  few  men  on  watch 
in  these  cellars.  They  would  hear  the  sound  of  the  Spanish 
approaching,  and  we  shall  be  ready  to  give  them  a  warm 
'reception  by  the  time  they  break  in.  Are  there  communi 
cations  between  these  cellars  ?" 

"Yes,  for  the  most  part/'  the  wine  merchant  said. 
"  The  cellars  are  not  entirely  the  property  of  us  dealers  in 
wine.  They  are  constructed  by  men  who  let  them,  just  as 
they  would  let  houses.  A  merchant  in  a  small  way  would 
need  but  one  cellar,  while  some  of  us  occupy  twenty  or 
more ;  therefore,  there  are  for  the  most  part  communi 
cations,  with  doors,  between  the  various  cellars,  so  that 
they  can  be  let  off  in  accordance  with  the  needs  of  the 
hirers." 

"Well,  I  am  much  obliged  to  you  for  telling  me  of 
this,"  Captain  Vere  said.  "  Williams  and  Morgan  will  be 
glad  enough  to  hear  that  there  is  no  fear  of  their  being 
blown  suddenly  iuto  the  air  while  defending  t,ho  w»\\&3  and 


66  BY  ENGLAND^S  AID. 

they  will  see  the  importance  of  keeping  a  few  trusty  men 
on  watch  in  the  cellars  nearest  to  the  Spaniards.  I  shall 
report  the  matter  to  them  at  once.  The  difficulty,"  he 
added  smiling,  "  will  be  to  keep  the  men  wakeful,  for  it 
seems  to  me  that  the  very  air  is  heavy  with  the  fumes  of 
wine." 


B  Y  SXGLAXD '  -9  AID. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  SIEGE  OF   SLUTS. 

UNTIL  the  Spaniards  had  established  their  camp,  and 
planted  some  of  their  batteries,  there  was  but  little  firing. 
Occasionally  the  wall-pieces  opened  upon  parties  of  officers 
reconnoitering,  and  a  few  shots  were  fired  from  time  to 
time  to  harass  the  workmen  in  the  enemy's  batteries ;  but 
this  was  done  rather  to  animate  the  townsmen,  and  as  a 
signal  to  distant  friends  that  so  far  matters  were  going  on 
quietly,  than  with  any  hopes  of  arresting  the  progress  of 
the  enemy's  works.  Many  sorties  were  made  by  the  gav- 
rison,  and  fierce  fighting  took  place,  but  only  a  score  or 
two  of  men  from  each  company  were  taken  upon  these 
occasions,  and  the  boys  were  compelled  to  remain  inactive 
spectators  of  the  fight. 

In  these  sorties  the  Spanish  works  were  frequently  held 
for  a  few  minutes,  gabions  thrown  down,  and  guns  over 
turned,  but  after  doing  as  much  damage  as  they  could  the 
assailants  had  to  fall  back  again  to  the  town,  being  unable 
io  resist  the  masses  of  pikemen  brought  up  against  them. 
The  boldness  of  these  sorties,  and  the  bravery  displayed 
by  their  English  allies,  greatly  raised  the  spirits  of  the 
townsfolk,  who  now  organized  themselves  into  companies, 
and  undertook  the  work  of  guarding  the  less  exposed  por 
tion  of  the  wall,  thus  enabling  the  garrison  to  keep  their 
whole  strength  at  the  points  attacked.  The  townsmen 
also  labored  steadily  in  adding  to  the  defenses ;  and  two 
companies  of  women  were  formed,  under  female  captains, 
who  took  the  names  of  May  in  the  Heart  and  Catherine 


68  B  T  ENGLAND '  5  AID. 

the  Rose.  These  did  good  service  by  building  a  strong 
fort  at  one  of  the  threatened  points,  and  this  work  was  in 
their  honor  christened  Fort  Venus. 

"It  is  scarcely  a  compliment  to  Venus,"  Geoffrey 
laughed  to  his  brother.  "These  square-shouldered  and 
heavily  -built  women  do  not  at  all  correspond  with  my  idea 
of  the  goddess  of  love/' 

"  They  are  strong  enough  for  men,"  Lionel  said.  "  I 
shouldn't  like  one  of  those  big  fat  arms  to  come  down  upon 
my  head.  Xo,  they  are  not  pretty  ;  but  they  look  jolly 
and  good-tempered,  and  if  they  were  to  fight  as  hard  as 
they  work  they  ought  to  do  good  service." 

"  There  is  a  good  deal  of  difference  between  them," 
Geoffrey  said.  "  Look  at  those  three  dark -haired  women 
with  neat  trim  figures.  They  do  not  look  as  if  they  be 
longed  to  the  same  race  as  the  others." 

"  They  are  not  of  the  same  race,  lad,"  Captain  Vere, 
who  was  standing  close  by,  said.  "  The  big  heavy  women 
are  Flemish,  the  others  come,  no  doubt,  from  the  Walloon 
provinces  bordering  on  France.  The  Walloons  broke  off 
from  the  rest  of  the  states  and  joined  the  Spanish  almost 
from  the  first.  They  were  for  the  most  part  Catholics, 
and  had  little  in  common  with  the  people  of  the  Low 
Country ;  but  there  were,  of  course,  many  Protestants 
among  them,  and  these  were  forced  to  emigrate,  for  the 
Spanish  allow  no  Protestants  in  the  country  under  their 
rule.  Alva  adopted  the  short  and  easy  plan  of  murdering 
all  the  Protestants  in  the  towns  he  took ;  but  the  war  is 
now  conducted  on  rather  more  humane  principles,  and  the 
Protestants  have  the  option  given  them  of  changing  their 
faith  or  leaving  the  country. 

"  In  this  way,  without  intending  it,  the  Spaniards  have 
done  good  service  to  Holland,  for  hundreds  of  thousands 
of  industrious  people  have  flocked  there  for  shelter  from 
Antwerp,  Ghent,  Bruges,  and  other  cities  that  have  fallen 
into  the  hands  of  the  Spaniards,  thus  greatly  raising  the 


x*  f  ENGLAND '  S  AID.  69 

population  of  Holland,  arid  adding  to  its  power  of  defense. 
Besides  this,  the  presence  of  these  exiles,  and  the  knowl 
edge  that  a  similar  fate  awaits  themselves  if  they  fall 
again  under  the  yoke  of  Spain,  nerves  the  people  to  resist 
to  the  utmost.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  bigotry  of  the 
Spanish,  and  the  abominable  cruelties  practised  by  the  In 
quisition,  the  States  would  never  have  rebelled  ;  and  even 
after  they  did  so,  terms  might  easily  have  been  made  with 
them  had  they  not  been  maddened  by  the  wholesale  mas 
sacres  perpetrated  by  Alva.  There,  do  you  hear  those 
women  speaking  ?  Their  language  is  French  rather  than 
Flemish." 

Just  as  they  were  speaking  a  heavy  roar  of  cannon  broke 
cut  from  the  eastern  end  of  the  town. 

"  They  have  opened  fire  on  the  castle  !  "  Vere  exclaimed. 
"Kun,  lads,  quick  !  and  summon  the  company  to  form 
in  the  market-place  in  front  of  our  house.  We  are  told  off 
to  reinforce  the  garrison  of  the  castle  in  case  of  attack. " 

The  boys  hurried  av.ray  at  the  top  of  their  speed.  They 
had  the  list  of  all  the  houses  in  which  the  men  of  the  com 
pany  were  quartered ;  and  as  the  heavy  roar  of  cannon  had 
brought  every  one  to  their  doors  to  hear  what  was  going 
on,  the  company  were  in  a  very  short  time  assembled. 

Francis  Vere  placed  himself  at  their  head,  and  inarched 
them  through  the  long  streets  of  the  town  and  out  through 
the  Avail  on  to  the  bridge  of  boats.  It  was  the  first  time 
the  boys  had  been  under  fire  ;  and  although  they  kept  a 
good  countenance,  they  acknowledged  to  each  other  after 
wards  that  they  had  felt  extremely  uncomfortable  as  they 
traversed  the  bridge  with  the  balls  whistling  over  their 
heads,  and  sometimes  striking  the  water  close  by  and  send 
ing  a  shower  of  spray  over  the  troops. 

They  felt  easier  when  they  entered  the  castle  and  were 
protected  by  its  walls.  Upon  these  the  men  took  their 
station.  Those  with  guns  discharged  their  pieces  against 
the  Spanish  artilleryman,  thft  nikemen  a»si»*«d  thp.  bo*1^0"- 


70  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

diers  to  work  the  cannon,  and  the  officers  went  to  and  fro 
encouraging  the  men.  The  pages  of  the  company  had 
little  to  do  beyond  from  time  to  time  carrying  cans  of  wine 
and  water  to  the  men  engaged.  Geoffrey  and  Lionel,  find 
ing  that  their  services  were  not  required  by  Captain  Vere, 
mounted  on  to  the  wall,  and  sheltering  themselves  as  well 
as  they  could  behind  the  battlements,  looked  out  at  what 
was  going  on. 

"It  doesn't  seem  to  me,"  Geoffrey  said,  "that  these 
walls  will  long  withstand  the  balls  of  the  Spanish.  The 
battlements  are  already  knocked  down  in  several  places, 
and  I  can  hear  after  each  shot  strikes  the  walls  the  splash 
ing  of  the  brickwork  as  it  falls  into  the  water.  See  !  there 
is  Tom  Carroll  struck  down  with  a  ball.  It's  our  duty  to 
carry  him  away." 

They  ran  along  the  wall  to  the  fallen  soldier.  Two 
other  pages  came  up,  and  the  four  carried  him  to  the  top 
of  the  steps  and  then  down  into  the  courtyard,  where  a 
Dutch  surgeon  took  charge  of  him.  His  shoulder  had 
been  struck  by  the  ball,  and  the  arm  hung  only  by  a  shred 
of  flesh.  The  surgeon  shook  his  head. 

"  I  can  do  nothing  for  him,"  he  said.  "  He  cannot  live 
many  hours." 

Lionel  had  done  his  share  in  carrying  the  man  down, 
but  he  now  turned  sick  and  faint. 

Geoffrey  caught  him  by  the  arm  "  Steady,  old  boy," 
he  said  ;  "  it  is  trying  at  first,  but  we  shall  soon  get  accus 
tomed  to  it.  Here,  take  a  draught  of  wine  from  this 
flask." 

"I  am  better  now,"  Lionel  said,  after  taking  a  draught 
of  wine.  "  I  felt  as  if  I  was  going  to  faint,  Geoffrey  I 
don't  know  why  I  should,  for  I  did  not  feel  frightened 
when  we  were  on  the  wall." 

"  Oh,  it  has  nothing  to  do  with  fear  ;  it  is  just  the  sight 
of  that  poor  fellow's  blood.  There  is  nothing  to  be 
ashamed  of  in  that.  Why,  I  saw  Will  Atkins,  who  was 


THE  POUR  PAGES  CARRY  DOWN  THE  WOVNDED  SOLDIER.— Page  70. 
En*.  Aid.] 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AIL.  71 

one  01  the  best  fighters  and  single-stick  players  in  Heding- 
ham,  go  off  in  a  dead  swoon  because  a  man  he  was  work 
ing  with  crushed  his  thumb  between  two  heavy  stones. 
Look,  Lionel,  what  cracks  there  are  in  the  wall  here.  I 
don't  think  it  will  stand  long.  We  had  better  run  up  and 
tell  Captain  Vere,  for  it  may  come  toppling  down  with 
some  of  the  men  on  it." 

Captain  Vere  on  hearing  the  news  ran  down  and  exam 
ined  the  wall. 

"  Yes/'  he  said,  "  it  is  evidently  going.  A  good  earth 
work  is  worth  a  dozen  of  these  walls.  They  will  soon  have 
the  castle  about  our  ears.  However,  it  is  of  no  great  im 
portance  to  us.  I  saw  you  lads  just  now  on  the  wall ;  I 
did  not  care  about  ordering  you  down  at  the  time  ;  but 
don't  go  up  again  except  to  help  carry  down  the  wounded. 
Make  it  a  rule,  my  boys,  never  to  shirk  your  duty,  however 
great  the  risk  to  li'ci  may  be  ;  but,  on  the  other  hand, 
never  risk  your  live^  unless  it  is  your  duty  to  do  so. 
What  is  gallantry  in  the  one  case  is  foolishness  in  the  other. 
Although  you  are  but  pages,  yet  it  may  well  be  that  in  such 
a  siege  as  this  you  will  have  many  opportunities  of  showing 
that  you  are  of  good  English  stock ;  but  while  I  would 
have  you  shrink  from  no  danger  when  there  is  a  need  for 
you  to  expose  yourselves,  I  say  also  that  you  should  in  no 
way  run  into  danger  wantonly." 

Several  times  in  the  course  of  the  afternoon  the  boys 
took  their  turn  in  going  up  and  helping  to  bring  down 
wounded  men.  As  the  time  went  on  several  yawning  gaps 
appeared  in  the  walls.  The  courtyard  was  strewn  with 
fragments  of  masonry,  and  the  pages  were  ordered  to  keep 
under  shelter  of  the  walls  of  the  castle  unless  summoned 
on  duty.  Indeed,  the  courtyard  had  now  become  a  more 
dangerous  station  than  the  wall  itself;  for  not  only  did  the 
cannon-shot  fly  through  the  breaches,  but  fragments  of 
bricks,  mortar,  and  rubbish  flew  along  with  a  force  that 
would  have  been  fatal  to  anything  struck.  - 


72  BY  ENGLAND ' S  AID. 

Some  of  the  pages  were  big  fellows  of  seventeen  or  eight 
een  years  old,  who  had  been  serving  for  some  years  under 
Morgan  and  "Williams,  and  would  soon  be  transferred  into 
the  ranks. 

"I  like  not  this  sort  of  fighting,"  one  of  them  said. 
"  It  is  all  very  well  when  it  comes  to  push  of  pike  with 
the  Spaniards,  but  to  remain  here  like  chickens  in  a  coop 
while  they  batter  away  at  us  is  a  game  for  which  I  have  no 
fancy.  What  say  you,  Master  Vickars  ?  " 

"  Well,  it  is  my  first  experience,  Somers,  and  I  cannot 
say  that  it  is  agreeable.  I  do  not  know  whether  I  should 
like  hand-to-hand  fighting  better ;  but  it  seems  to  me  at 
present  that  it  would  be  certainly  more  agreeable  to  be  do 
ing  something  than  to  be  sitting  here  and  listening  to  the 
falls  of  the  pieces  of  masonry  and  the  whistling  of  the 
balls.  I  don't  see  that  they  will  be  an}*  nearer  when  they 
have  knocked  this  place  to  pieces.  They  have  no  boats, 
and  if  they  had,  the  guns  on  the  city  wall  would  prevent 
their  using  them  ;  besides,  when  the  bridge  of  boats  is  re 
moved  they  could  do  nothing  if  they  got  here." 

Towards  evening  a  council  was  held,  all  the  principal 
officers  being  present,  and  it  was  decided  to  evacuate  the 
castle.  It  could  indeed  have  been  held  for  some  days 
"onger,  but  it  was  plain  it  would  at  length  become  unten 
able  ;  the  bridge  of  boats  had  already  been  struck  in  several 
places,  and  some  of  the  barges  composing  it  had  sunk  level 
with  the  water.  Were  it  destroyed,  the  garrison  of  the  castle 
would  be  completely  cut  off  ;  and  as  no  great  advantage  was 
to  be  gained  by  holding  the  position,  for  it  was  evident  that 
it  was  upon  the  other  end  of  the  town  the  main  attack  was 
to  be  made,  it  was  decided  to  evacuate  it  under  cover  of 
night.  As  soon  as  it  became  dark  this  decision  was  carried 
into  effect,  and  for  hours  the  troops  worked  steadily,  tran 
sporting  the  guns,  ammunition,  and  stores  of  all  kinds 
across  from  the  castle  to  the  town. 

Already  commup^a^'on  with  their  friends  outside  had 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  73 

almost  ceased,  for  the  first  operation  of  the  enemy  had 
been  to  block  the  approach  to  Sluys  from  the  sea.  Boats 
*"  had  been  moored  head  and  stern  right  across  Zwiii,  and  a 
battery  erected  upon  each  shore  to  protect  them ;  but 
Captains  Hart  and  Allen  twice  swam  down  to  communi 
cate  with  friendly  vessels  below  the  obstacle,  carrying  de 
spatches  with  them  from  the  governor  to  the  States-General, 
and  from  Roger  Williams  to  the  English  commanders,  urg 
ing  that  no  time  should  be  lost  in  assembling  an  army  to 
march  to  the  relief  of  the  town. 

Both  contained  assurances  that  the  garrison  would  defend 
the  place  to  the  last  extremity,  but  pointed  out  that  it  was 
only  a  question  of  time,  and  that  the  town  must  fall  unless 
relieved.  The  Dutch  garrison  were  800  strong,  and  had 
been  joined  by  as  many  English.  Parma  had  at  first 
marched  with  but  6000  men  against  the  city,  but  had  very 
speedily  drawn  much  larger  bodies  of  men  towards  him, 
and  had,  as  Roger  Williams  states  in  a  letter  to  the  queen 
sent  from  Sluys  at  an  early  period  of  the  siege,  four  regi 
ments  of  Walloons,  four  of  Germans,  one  of  Italians,  one 
of  Burgundians,  fifty-two  companies  of  Spaniards,  twenty- 
four  troops  of  horse,  and  forty-eight  guns.  This  would 
give  a  total  of  at  least  17,000  men,  and  further  reinforce 
ments  afterwards  arrived. 

Against  so  overwhelming  a  force  as  this,  it  could  not  be 
hoped  that  the  garrison,  outnumbered  by  more  than  ten  to 
one,  could  long  maintain  themselves,  and  the  Duke  of 
Parma  looked  for  an  easy  conquest  of  the  place.  By  both 
parties  the  possession  of  Sluys  was  regarded  as  a  matter  of 
importance  out  of  all  proportion  to  the  size  and  population 
of  the  town ;  for  at  that  time  it  was  known  in  England 
that  the  King  of  Spain  was  preparing  a  vast  fleet  for  the 
invasion  of  Britain,  and  Sluys  was  the  nearest  point  to  our 
shores  at  which  a  fleet  could  gather  and  the  forces  of 
Parma  embark  to  join  those  coming  direct  from  Spain. 
The  English,  therefore,  were  determined  to  maintain  the 


74  B Y  ENGLAND '  S  AID. 

place  to  the  last  extremity  ;  and  while  Parma  had  con 
sidered  its  capture  as  an  affair  of  a  few  days  only,  the  little 
garrison  were  determined  that  ior  weeks  at  any  rate  they 
would  be  able  to  prolong  the  resistance,  feeling  sure  that 
before  that  time  could  elapse  both  the  States  and  England, 
knowing  the  importance  of  the  struggle,  would  send  forces 
to  their  relief. 

The  view  taken  as  to  the  uselessness  of  defending  the 
castle  was  fully  justified,  as  the  Spaniards  on  the  following 
day  removed  the  guns  that  they  had  employed  in  battering 
it,  to  their  works  facing  the  western  gates,  and  fire  was 
opened  next  morning.  Under  cover  of  this  the  Spanish 
engineers  pushed  their  trenches  up  to  the  very  edge  of  the 
moat,  in  spite  of  several  desperate  sorties  by  the  garrison. 
The  boys  had  been  forbidden  by  Captain  Vere  to  take  their 
place  with  the  company  on  the  walls. 

"  In  time,"  he  said,  "  as  our  force  decreases,  we  shail 
want  every  one  capable  of  handling  arms  to  man  the 
breaches,  but  at  present  we  are  not  in  any  extremity  ;  and 
none  save  those  whom  duty  compels  to  be  there  must  come 
under  the  fire  of  the  Spaniards,  for  to  do  so  would  be  risk 
ing  life  without  gain." 

They  had,  however,  made  friends  with  the  wine  mer 
chant  whose  cellars  they  had  visited,  and  obtained  permis 
sion  from  him  to  visit  the  upper  story  of  his  warehouse 
whenever  they  chose.  From  a  window  here  they  were 
enabled  to  watch  all  that  was  taking  place,  for  the  ware 
house  was  much  higher  than  the  walls.  It  was  not  in  the 
direct  line  of  fire  of  the  Spanish  batteries,  for  these  were 
chiefly  concentrated  against  the  wall  a  little  to  their  right. 
After  heavy  fighting  the  Spaniards  one  night,  by  means  of 
boats  from  the  Zwin,  landed  upon  the  dyke  which  divided 
the  moat  into  two  channels,  and  thus  established  them 
selves  so  close  under  the  ramparts  that  the  guns  could  not 
be  brought  to  bear  upon  them.  They  proceeded 
themselves  at  once  upon  the  dyke. 


B T  ENGLAND ' 8  AID.  75 

The  governor,  Arnold  Groenvelt,  consulted  with  the 
English  leaders,  and  decided  that  the  enemy  must  be 
driven  off  this  dyke  immediately,  or  that  the  safety  of  the 
city  would  be  gravely  imperilled.  They  therefore  as 
sembled  a  force  of  four  hundred  men,  sallied  out  of  the 
south  gate,  where  two  bastions  were  erected  on  the  dyke 
itself,  and  then  advanced  along  it  to  the  assault  of  the 
Spaniards.  The  battle  was  a  desperate  one,  the  English 
and  Dutch  were  aided  by  their  comrades  on  the  wall,  who 
shot  with  guns  and  arquebuses  against  the  Spaniards, 
while  the  latter  were  similarly  assisted  by  their  friends 
along  the  outer  edge  of  the  moat,  and  received  constant 
reinforcements  by  boats  from  their  ships. 

The  odds  were  too  great  for  the  assailants,  who  were 
forced  at  last  to  fall  back  along  the  dyke  to  the  south  gate 
and  to  re-enter  the  town.  It  was  already  five  weeks  since 
the  English  had  arrived  to  take  part  in  the  defense,  and 
the  struggle  now  began  upon  a  great  scale — thirty  cannon 
und  eight  culverins  opening  fire  upon  the  walls.  The 
heaviest  fire  was  on  St.  James's  day,  the  25th  of  July,  when 
4000  shots  were  fired  between  three  in  the  morning  and 
five  in  the  afternoon.  While  this  tremendous  cannonade 
was  going  on,  the  boys  could  not  but  admire  the  calmness 
shown  by  the  population.  Many  of  the  shots,  flying  over 
the  top  of  the  walls,  struck  the  houses  in  the  city,  and  the 
chimneys,  tiles,  and  masses  of  masonry  fell  in  the  streets. 
Nevertheless  the  people  continued  their  usual  avocations. 
The  shops  were  all  open,  though  the  men  employed  served 
their  customers  with  breast  and  back  pieces  buckled  on, 
and  their  arms  close  at  hand,  so  that  they  could  run  to  the 
walls  at  once  to  take  part  in  their  defense  did  the 
Spaniards  attempt  an  assault  upon  them.  The  women 
stood  knitting  at  their  doors,  Frau  Menyn  looked  as  sharply 
after  her  maids  as  ever,  and  washing  and  scouring  wen  ton 
without  interruption. 

"  1  beli'™0  *hat  woman  will  keep  those  girl  a  at. 


76  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

after  the  Spaniards  have  entered  the  city,  and  until  they 
are  thundering  at  the  door,"  Lionel  said.  "  Who  but  a 
Dutch  woman  would  give  a  thought  to  a  few  particles  of 
dust  on  her  furniture  when  an  enemy  was  cannonading  the 
town  ?  " 

"  I  think  she  acts  wisely  after  all,  Lionel.  The  fact  tluit 
everything  goes  on  as  usual  here  and  in  other  houses  taker. 
people's  thoughts  off  the  dangers  of  the  position,  and  pre 
vents  anything  like  panic  being  felt." 

The  lads  spent  the  greater  part  of  the  day  at  their  look 
out,  and  could  see  that  the  wall  against  which  the  Spanish 
fire  was  directed  was  fast  crumbling.  Looking  down  upon 
it,  it  seemed  deserted  of  troops,  for  it  would  be  needlessly 
exposing  the  soldiers  to  death  to  place  them  there  while 
the  cannonade  continued  ;  but  behind  the  wall,  and  in  the 
street  leading  to  it,  companies  of  English  and  Dutch  sol 
diers  could  be  seen  seated  or  lying  on  the  ground. 

They  were  leaning  out  of  the  dormer-window  in  the  high 
roof  watching  the  Spanish  soldiers  in  the  batteries  work 
ing  their  guns,  when,  happening  to  look  round,  they  saw 
a  cross-bow  protruded  from  a  window  of  the  warehouse  to 
their  right,  and  a  moment  afterwards  the  sharp  twang  of 
the  bow  was  heard.  There  was  nothing  unusual  in  this  ; 
for  although  firearms  were  now  generally  in  use  the  long 
bow  and  the  cross-bow  had  not  been  entirely  abandoned, 
and  there  were  still  archers  in  the  English  army,  and 
many  still  held  that  the  bow  was  a  far  better  weapon  than 
the  arquebus,  sending  its  shafts  well  nigh  as  far  and  with 
a  truer  aim. 

"  If  that  fellow  is  noticed,"  Geoffrey  said,  "  we  shall 
have  the  Spanish  musketeers  sending  their  balls  in  this 
direction.  The  governor  has,  I  heard  Captain  Vere  say, 
forbidden  shooting  from  the  warehouses,  because  he  does 
not  wish  to  attract  the  Spanish  fire  against  them.  Of 
course  when  the  wall  yields  and  the  breach  has  to  be  de 
fended  the  warehouses  will  be  held,  and  as  the  windows 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  77 

will  command  the  breach  they  will  be  great  aids  to  us 
then,  and  it  would  be  a  great  disadvantage  to  us  if  the 
^Spaniards  now  were  to  throw  shells  and  fire-balls  into  these 
houses,  and  so  to  destroy  them  before  they  make  their 
attack.  Nor  can  much  good  be  gained,  for  at  this  dis 
tance  a  cross-bow  would  scarce  carry  its  bolts  beyond  the 
moat." 

"  Most  likely  the  man  is  using  the  cross-bow  on  purpose 
to  avoid  attracting  the  attention  of  the  Spaniards,  Geof 
frey.  At  this  distance  they  could  not  see  the  cross-bow, 
while  a  puff  of  smoke  would  be  sure  to  catch  their  eyes." 

"  There,  he  has  shot  again.  I  did  not  see  the  quarrel! 
fall  in  the  moat.  See,  one  of  the  Spanish  soldiers  from 
that  battery  is  coming  forward.  There,  he  has  stooped 
and  picked  something  up.  Hallo  !  do  you  see  that  ?  He 
has  just  raised  his  arm  ;  that  is  a  signal,  surely." 

"  It  certainly  looked  like  it,"  Lionel  agreed.  "  It  was 
a  sort  of  half  wave  of  the  hand.  That  is  very  strange  ! " 

"  Very,  Lionel ;  it  looks  to  me  very  suspicious.  It  is 
quite  possible  that  a  piece  of  paper  may  have  been  tied 
round  the  bolt,  and  that  some  one  is  sending  information 
to  the  enemy.  This  ought  to  be  looked  to." 

"But  what  are  we  to  do,  Geoffrey?  Merely  seeing  a 
Spanish  soldier  wave  his  arm  is  scarcely  reason  enough  for 
bringing  an  accusation  against  any  one.  We  are  not  even 
sure  that  he  picked  up  the  bolt ;  and  even  if  he  did,  the 
action  might  have  been  a  sort  of  mocking  wave  of  the 
hand  at  the  failure  of  the  shooter  to  send  it  as  far  as  the 
battery. " 

"It  might  be,  of  course,  Lionel.  No,  we  have  certainly 
nothing  to  go  upon  that  would  justify  our  making  a  report 
on  the  subject,  but  quite  enough  to  induce  us  to  keep  a 
watch  on  this  fellow,  whoever  he  may  be.  Let  us  see,  to 
begin  with,  if  he  shoots  again." 

They  waited  for  an  hour,  but  the  head  of  the  cross-bow 
was  not  again  thrust  out  of  the  window. 


78  BY  EX  GLAND'S  AID. 

"He  may  have  ceased  shooting  for  either  of  two  rea 
sons,"  Geoffrey  suid.  '"If  he  k  u  true  man,  because  he 
sees  that  his  bolts  Jo  not  carry  i'nr  enough  to  be  of  any  use. 
If  he  is  a  traitor,  because  he  has  gained  his  object,  and 
knows  that  his  communication  lias  reached  ?iic  friends  out- 
fciue.  We  will  go  down  now  and  inquire  who  is  the  oc 
cupier  of  the  next  warehouse." 

The  merchant  himself  was  not  below,  for  as  he  did  busi 
ness  with  other  towns  he  had  had  nothing  to  do  since 
Sluys  was  cut  off  from  the  surrounded  country ;  but  one 
of  his  clerks  was  at  work,  making  out  bills  and  accounts 
in  his  office  as  if  the  thunder  of  the  guns  outside  was  un 
heard  by  him.  The  boys  had  often  spoken  to  him  as  they 
passed  in  and  out. 

"Who  occupies  the  warehouse  on  the  right  ?"  Geoffrey 
asked  him  carelessly. 

"  William  Arnig,"  he  replied.  "  He  is  aleading  citizen, 
and  one  of  the  greatest  merchants  in  our  trade.  His  cel 
lars  are  the  most  extensive  we  have,  and  he  does  a  great 
trade  in  times  of  peace  with  Bruges,  Ghent,  Antwerp,  and 
other  towns." 

'•'I  suppose  lie  is  a  Protestant  like  most  of  the  towns 
people  ?"  Geoffrey  remarked. 

"  No,  he  is  a  Catholic ;  but  he  is  not  one  who  pushes 
his  opinions  strongly,  and  he  is  well  disposed  to  the  cause, 
and  a  captain  in  one  of  the  city  bands.  The  Catholics 
and  Protestants  always  dwell  quietly  together  throughout 
the  Low  Countries,  and  would  have  no  animosities  against 
each  other  were  it  not  for  the  Spaniards.  Formerly,  at 
least,  this  was  the  case ;  but  since  the  persecutions  we 
have  Protestant  towns  and  Catholic  towns,  the  one  hold 
ing  to  the  States  cause,  the  other  siding  with  the  Spaniards. 
Why  do  you  ask  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  hadn't  heard  the  name  of  your  next  neighbor, 
and  was  wondering  who  he  might  be." 

The  boys  had  now  been  nearly  two  months  in  Holland. 


B  Y  EXGLAXD '  S  AID.  79 

and  were  beginning  to  understand  the  language,  w  hick  u 
not  difficult  to  acquire,  and  differed  then  even  less  than 
now  from  the  dialect  spoken  in  the  eastern  counties  of 
England,  between  whom  and  Holland  there  had  been  for 
many  generations  much  trade  and  intimate  relations. 

"What  had  we  better  do  next,  Geoffrey?'5  Lionel 
asked  as  they  left  the  warehouse. 

"  I  think  that  in  the  first  place,  Lionel,  we  will  take  our 
post  at  the  window  to-morrow,  and  keep  a  close  watch  all 
day  to  see  whether  this  shooting  is  repeated.  If  it  is,  we 
had  better  report  the  matter  to  Captain  Vere,  and  leave 
him  to  decide  what  should  be  done.  I  do  not  see  that  we 
could  undertake  anything  alone,  and  in  any  case,  you  see, 
it  would  be  a  serious  matter  to  lay  an  accusation  against  a 
prominent  citizen  who  is  actually  a  captain  of  one  of  the 
bands/' 

Upon  the  following  day  they  took  their  post  again  at  the 
window,  and  after  some  hours  watching  saw  three  bolts 
fired  from  the  next  window.  Watching  intently,  they  saw 
the  two  first  fall  into  the  moat.  They  could  not  see  where 
the  other  fell  ;  but  as  there  was  no  splash  in  the  water, 
they  concluded  that  it  had  fallen  beyond  it,  and  in  a 
minute  they  saw  a  soldier  again  advance  from  the  battery, 
pick  up  something  at  the  edge  of  the  water,  raise  his  arm, 
and  retire.  That  evening  when  Captain  Vere  returned 
from  the  ramparts  they  informed  him  of  what  they  had 
observed. 

"  Doubtless  it  is  an  act  of  treachery,"  he  said,  "and 
this  merchant  is  communicating  with  the  enemy.  At  the 
game  time  what  you  have  seen,  although  convincing  evi 
dence  to  me,  is  scarce  enough  for  me  to  denounce  him. 
Doubtless  he  does  not  write  these  letters  until  he  is  ready 
to  fire  them  off,  and  were  he  arrested  in  his  house  or  on  his 
way  to  the  warehouse  we  might  fail  to  find  proofs  of  his 
guilt,  and  naught  but  ill-feeling  would  be  caused  among 
his  friends.  JSTo.  whatever  we  do  we  must  do  caut.ionslv. 


80  BY  ENGLAND ' 8  AID. 

Have  you  thought  of  any  plan  by  which  we  might  catch 
him  in  the  act  ?  " 

"  If  two  or  three  men  could  be  introduced  into  his  ware 
house,  and  concealed  in  the  room  from  which  he  fires, 
they  might  succeed  in  catching  him  in  the  act,  Captain 
Vere ;  but  the  room  may  be  an  empty  one  without  any 
place  whatever  where  they  could  be  hidden,  and  unless  they 
were  actually  in  the  room  they  would  be  of  little  good,  for 
he  would  have  time,  if  he  heard  footsteps,  to  thrust  any 
letter  he  may  have  written  into  his  mouth,  and  so  destroy 
it  before  it  could  be  seized." 

"  That  is  so,''  Captain  Vere  agreed.  "  The  matter  seem? 
a  difficult  one,  and  yet  it  is  of  the  greatest  importance  to 
hinder  communications  with  the  Spaniards.  To-night  all 
the  soldiers  who  can  be  spared,  aided  by  all  the  citizens 
able  to  use  matlock  and  pick,  are  to  set  to  work  to  begin 
to  raise  a  half-moon  round  the  windmill  behind  the  point 
they  are  attacking,  so  as  to  have  a  second  line  to  fall  back 
upon  when  the  wall  gives  way,  which  it  will  do  ere  long, 
for  it  is  sorely  shaken  and  battered.  It  is  most  important 
to  keep  this  from  the  knowledge  of  the  Spaniards.  Now, 
lads,  you  have  shown  your  keenness  by  taking  notice  of  what 
is  going  on,  see  if  you  cannot  go  further,  and  hit  upon 
some  plan  of  catching  this  traitor  at  his  work.  If  before 
night  we  can  think  of  no  scheme,  I  must  go  to  the  governor 
and  tell  him  frankly  that  we  have  suspicions  of  treachery, 
though  we  cannot  prove  them,  and  ask  him,  in  order  to 
prevent  the  possibility  of  our  plans  being  communicated 
to  the  enemy,  to  place  some  troops  in  all  the  warehouses 
along  that  line,  so  that  none  can  shoot  therefrom  any  mes 
sage  to  the  Spaniards." 

Just  as  Captain  Vere  finished  his  supper,  the  boys  came 
into  the  room  again. 

(i  We  have  thought  of  a  plan,  sir,  that  might  succeed, 
although  it  would  be  somewhat  difficult.  The  dormer- 
window  from  which  these  bolts  have  been  fired  lies  thirty 


B  T  ENGLA  NI> '  8  AID.  81 

or  forty  feet  away  from  that  from  which  we  were  looking. 
The  roof  is  so  steep  that  no  one  could  hold  a  footing  upon 
it  for  a  moment,  nor  could  a  plank  be  placed  upon  which 
he  could  walk.  The  window  is  about  twelve  feet  from  the 
top  of  the  roof.  We  think  that  one  standing  on  the  ledge 
of  our  window  might  climb  on  to  its  top,  and  once  there 
swing  a  rope  with  a  stout  grapnel  attached  to  catch  on  the 
ridge  of  the  roof  ;  then  two  or  three  men  might  climb  up 
there  and  work  themselves  along,  and  then  lower  themselves 
down  with  a  rope  on  to  the  top  of  the  next  window.  They 
would  need  to  have  ropes  fastened  round  their  bodies,  for 
the  height  is  great,  and  a  slip  would  mean  death. 

"  The  one  farthest  out  on  the  window  could  lean  over 
when  he  hears  a  noise  below  him,  and  when  he  saw  the 
cross-bow  thrust  from  the  window,  could  by  a  sudden  blow 
knock  it  from  the  fellow's  hand,  when  it  would  slide  down 
the  roof  and  fall  into  the  narrow  yard  between  the  ware 
house  and  the  walls.  Of  course  some  men  would  be  placed 
there  in  readiness  to  seize  it,  and  others  at  the  door  of  the 
warehouse  to  arrest  the  traitor  if  he  ran  down." 

"  I  think  the  plan  is  a  good  one,  though  somewhat  diffi 
cult  of  execution,"  Captain  Vere  said.  "  But  this  enter 
prise  on  the  roof  would  be  a  difficult  one  and  dangerous, 
since  as  you  say  a  slip  would  mean  death/' 

"  Lionel  and  myself,  sir,  would  undertake  that  with  the 
aid  of  two  active  men  to  hold  the  ropes  for  us.  We  have 
both  done  plenty  of  bird-nesting  in  the  woods  of  Heding- 
ham,  and  are  not  likely  to  turn  giddy." 

"  I  don't  think  it  is  necessary  for  more  than  one  to  get 
down  on  to  that  window/'  Captain  Vere  said.  "  Only  one 
could  so  place  himself  as  to  look  down  upon  the  cross-bow. 
However,  you  shall  divide  the  honor  of  the  enterprise 
between  you.  You,  as  the  eldest  and  strongest,  Geoffrey, 
shall  carry  out  your  plan  on  the  roof,  while  you,  Lionel, 
shall  take  post  at  the  door  with  four  men  to  arrest  the 
traitor  when  he  leaves.  I  will  select  two  strong  and  active 
6 


82  B  F  ENGLAND '  8  A  ID. 

men  to  accompany  you,  Geoffrey,  and  aid  you  in  your  at 
tempt  ;  but  mind,  before  you  try  to  get  out  of  the  window 
and  to  climb  on  to  its  roof,  have  a  strong  rope  fastened 
round  your  body  and  held  by  the  others  ;  then  in  case  of 
a  slip,  they  can  haul  you  in  again.  I  will  see  that  the  ropes 
and  grapnels  are  in  readiness." 

The  next  morning  early  Geoffrey  proceeded  with  the 
two  men  who  had  been  selected  to  accompany  him  to  his 
usual  look-out.  Both  were  active,  wiry  men.  and  entered 
fully  into  the  spirit  of  the  undertaking  when  Geoffrey 
explained  its  nature  to  them.  They  looked  out  of  the 
dormer-window  at  the  sharp  roof  slanting  away  in  front  of 
them  and  up  to  the  ridge  above. 

"  I  think,  Master  Vickars,"  one  of  them,  Roger  Browne 
by  name,  said,  "  that  I  had  best  go  up  first.  I  served  for 
some  years  at  sea,  and  am  used  to  climbing  about  in  dizzy 
places.  It  is  no  easy  matter  to  get  from  this  window-sill 
astride  the  roof  above  us,  and  moreover  I  am  more  like  to 
heave  the  grapnel  so  that  it  will  hook  firmly  on  to  the 
ridge  than  you  are." 

"  Very  well,  Roger.  I  should  be  willing  to  try,  but 
doubtless  you  would  manage  it  far  better  than  I  should. 
But  before  you  start  we  will  fasten  the  other  rope  round 
your  body,  as  Captain  Vere  directed  me  to  do.  Then  in 
case  you  slip,  or  anything  gives  way  with  your  weight,  we 
can  check  you  before  you  slide  far  down  below  us." 

A  rope  was  accordingly  tied  round  the  man's  body  under 
his  arms.  Taking  the  grapnel,  to  which  the  other  rope 
was  attached,  he  got  out  on  to  the  sill.  It  was  not  an  easy 
task  to  climb  up  on  to  the  ridge  of  the  dormer-window, 
and  it  needed  all  his  strength  and  activity  ;  o  accomplish 
the  feat.  Once  astride  of  the  ridge  the  rest  was  easy.  At 
the  first  cast  he  threw  the  grapnel  so  that  it  <  might  securely 
on  the  top  of  the  roof.  After  testing  it  wii  h  two  or  three 
pulls  he  clambered  up,  leaving  the  lower  v  ml  of  the  rope 
hanging  by  the  side  of  the  window.  As  soon  as  he  had 


S  Y  ENGLAND '  S  AID.  83 

gained  this  position  Geoffrey,  who  was  to  follow  him, 
prepared  to  start. 

According  to  the  instructions  Browne  had  given  him  he 
fastened  the  end  of  the  rope  which  was  round  Browne's 
body  under  his  own  shoulders,  then  leaning  over  and  tak 
ing  a  firm  hold  of  the  rope  to  which  the  grapnel  was 
attached,  he  let  himself  out  df  the  window.  Browne  hauled 
from  above  at  the  rope  round  his  body,  and  he  pulled  him 
self  with  his  hands  by  that  attached  to  the  grapnel,  and 
presently  reached  the  top. 

"  I  am  glad  you  came  first,  Roger,"  he  said.  "  I  do  not 
think  I  could  have  ever  pulled  myself  up  if  you  had  not 
assisted  me." 

Ho  unfastened  the  rope,  and  the  end  was  thrown  down 
to  the  window,  and  Job  Tredgold,  the  other  man,  fastened 
it  round  him  and  was  hauled  up  as  Geoffrey  had  been. 

"  We  will  move  along  now  to  that  stack  of  chimneys 
coming  through  the  roof  four  feet  below  the  ridge  on  the 
town  side,"  Geoffrey  said.  "We  can  stand  down  there 
out  of  sight  of  the  Spaniards.  We  shall  be  sure  to  attract 
attention  sitting  up  here,  and  might  have  some  bullets  fly 
ing  round  our  ears,  besides  which  this  fellow's  friends 
might  suspect  our  object  and  signal  to  him  in  some  way. 
It  is  two  hours  yet  to  the  time  when  we  have  twice  seen 
him  send  his  bolts  across  the  moat." 

This  was  accordingly  done,  and  for  an  hour  and  a  half 
they  sat  down  on  the  roof  Avith  their  feet  against  the  stack 
of  chimneys. 

"  It  is  time  to  be  moving  now/'  Geoffrey  said  at  last. 
"  I  think  the  best  way  will  be  for  me  to  get  by  the  side  of 
the  dormer-window  instead  of  above  it.  It  would  be  very 
awkward  leaning  over  there,  and  I  should  not  have 
strength  to  strike  a  blow  ;  whereas  with  the  rope  under 
my  arms  and  my  foot  on  the  edge  of  the  sill,  which  projects 
a  few  inches  beyond  the  side  of  the  window,  I  could  stand 
upright  and  strike  a  downright  blow  on  the  cross-bow." 


84  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

"  That  would  be  the  best  way,  I  think/'  Roge* 
agreed;  "and  I  will  come  down  on  to  the  top  of  the 
window  and  lean  over.  In  the  first  place  your  foot  might 
slip,  and  as  you  dangle  there  by  the  rope  he  might  cut  it 
and  let  you  shoot  over,  or  he  might  lean  out  and  shoot 
you  as  you  climb  up  the  roof  again  ;  but  if  I  am  above 
with  my  pistol  in  readiness  there  will  be  no  fear  of  acci 
dents." 


B  Y  ENGLAND '  8  AU).  85 


CHAPTER  V. 

AJf   HEROIC    DEFENSE. 

THE  plan  Roger  Browne  suggested  was  carried  out. 
Oeoffrey  was  first  lowered  to  his  place  by  the  side  of  the 
window,  and  bracing  himself  against  its  side  with  a  foot 
on  the  sill  he  managed  to  stand  upright,  leaning  against 
the  rope  that  Job  Tredgold  held  from  above.  Job  had 
instructions  when  Geoffrey  lifted  his  arm  to  ease  the  rope 
a  few  inches  so  as  to  enable  the  lad  to  lean  forward.  After 
two  or  three  attempts  Geoffrey  got  the  rope  to  the  exact 
length  which  would  enable  him  to  look  round  the  corner 
and  to  strike  a  blow  with  his  right  hand,  in  which  he  held 
a  stont  club.  Roger  Browne  then  descended  by  the  aid  of 
the  other  rope,  and  fastening  it  round  his  body  lay  down 
astride  of  the  roof  of  the  window  with  his  head  and 
shoulders  over  the  end,  and  his  pistol  held  in  readiness. 

It  seemed  an  age  to  Geoffrey  before  he  heard  the  sound 
of  a  footstep  in  the  loft  beside  him.  He  grasped  his 
cudgel  firmly  and  leaned  slightly  forward.  For  ten  min 
utes  there  was  quiet  within,  and  Geoffrey  guessed  that  the 
traitor  was  writing  the  missive  he  was  about  to  send  to 
the  enemy  ;  then  the  footstep  approached  the  window, 
and  a  moment  later  a  cross-bow  was  thrust  out  A  glanoo 
at  it  sufficed  to  show  that  the  bolt  was  enveloped  in  a  piece 
of  paper  wound  round  it  and  secured  with  a  string.  Steady 
ing  himself  as  well  as  he  could  Geoffrey  struck  with  all  his 
force  down  upon  the  cross-bow.  The  weapon,  loosely 
held,  went  clattering  down  the  tiles.  There  was  an  ex 
clamation  of  surprise  and  fury  from  within  the  window, 


86  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

and  at  the  same  moment  Job  Tredgold,  seeing  that  Geof 
frey's  attempt  had  been  successful,  hauled  away  at  the 
rope  and  began  to  drag  him  backward  up  the  tiles. 

The  lad  saw  a  man  lean  out  of  the  window  and  look  up 
at  him,  then  a  pistol  was  leveled  ;  but  the  report  came 
from  above  the  window,  and  not  from  the  threatening 
weapon.  A  sharp  cry  of  pain  was  heard,  as  the  pistol  fell 
from  the  man's  hand  and  followed  the  cross-bow  down  the 
roof.  A  few  seconds  later  Geoffrey  was  hauled  up  to  the 
ridge,  where  he  was  at  once  joined  by  Koger  Browne. 
Shifting  the  ropes  they  moved  along  till  above  the  window 
from  which  they  had  issued.  Geoffrey  was  first  lowered 
down.  As  soon  as  he  had  got  in  at  the  window  he  undid 
the  rope  and  Job  Tredgold  followed  him,  while  Koger 
Browne  slid  down  by  the  rope  attached  to  the  grapnel  ; 
then  they  ran  downstairs. 

As  soon  as  they  sallied  out  below  they  saw  that  Lionel 
and  the  men  with  him  had  captured  a  prisoner  ;  and  just 
as  they  joined  the  party  the  guard  came  round  from  the 
other  side  of  the  warehouse,  bringing  with  them  the  cross 
bow,  its  bolt,  and  the  pistol.  The  prisoner,  whose  shoul 
der  was  broken  by  Roger  Browne's  shot,  was  at  once  taken 
to  Captain  Vere's  quarters.  That  officer  had  just  arrived 
from  the  walls,  knowing  the  time  at  which  the  capture 
would  probably  be  made. 

"  So  you  have  succeeded,"  he  said.  "  Well  done,  lads  ; 
you  have  earned  the  thanks  of  all.  We  will  take  this  man 
at  once  to  the  governor,  who  is  at  present  at  the  town- 
hall." 

By  the  time  they  issued  out  quite  a  crowd  had  assembled, 
for  the  news  that  William  von  Arnig  had  been  brought  a 
prisoner  and  wounded  to  Captain  Vere's  quarters  had 
spread  rapidly.  The  crowd  increased  as  they  went  along, 
and  Captain  Vere  and  his  party  had  difficulty  in  making 
their  way  to  the  town-hall,  many  of  the  people  exclaiming 
loudly  against  this  treatment  of  one  of  the  leading  citizens. 


B T  ENGLAND  S  AID.  87 

The  governor  was,  when  they  entered,  holding  council 
with  the  English  leader,  Sir  Koger  Williams. 

"  Why,  what  is  this,  Captain  Vere  ?"  he  asked  in  sur 
prise  as  that  officer,  accompanied  by  the  two  boys  and  fol 
lowed  by  Roger  Browne  and  Job  Tredgold  guarding  the 
prisoner,  entered. 

"  I  have  to  accuse  this  man  of  treacherously  communi 
cating  with  the  enemy/'  Francis  Vere  said. 

"  What  ?  "  Arnold  de  Groenvelt  exclaimed  in  surprise. 
' '  Why,  this  is  Mynheer  von  Arnig,  one  of  our  most  wor 
shipful  citizens  !  Surely,  Captain  Vere,  there  must  be 
some  error  here  ?" 

"I  will  place  my  evidence  before  you, "  Captain  Vere 
said  ;  "  and  it  will  be  for  you  to  decide  upon  it.  Master 
Geoffrey  Vickars,  please  to  inform  the  governor  what  you 
know  about  this  matter." 

Geoffrey  then  stated  how  he  and  his  brother,  being  at 
the  upper  window  of  the  warehouse,  had  on  two  days  in 
succession  seen  a  cross-bow  discharged  from  a  neigbouring 
window,  and  had  noticed  a  Spanish  soldier  come  out  of  a 
battery  and  pick  up  something  which  they  believed  to  be 
the  bolt,  and  how  he  and  his  brother  had  reported  the  cir 
cumstances  to  Captain  Vere.  That  officer  then  took  up 
the  story,  and  stated  that  seeing  the  evidence  was  not  con 
clusive,  and  it  was  probable  that  if  an  attempt  was  made 
to  arrest  the  person,  whomsoever  he  might  be,  who  had 
used  the  cross-bow,  any  evidence  of  treasonable  design 
might  be  destroyed  before  he  was  seized,  he  had  accepted 
the  offer  of  Master  Vickars  to  climb  the  roof,  lower  him 
self  to  the  window  from  which  the  bolt  would  be  shot,  and, 
if  possible,  strike  it  from  the  man's  hands,  so  that  it  would 
fall  down  the  roof  to  the  courtyard  below,  where  men 
were  placed  to  seize  it. 

Geoffrey  then  related  how  he,  with  the  two  soldiers 
guarding  the  prisoner,  had  scaled  the  roof  and  taken  a 
position  by  the  window  ;  how  he  had  seen  the  cross-bow 


88  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

thrust  out,  and  had  struck  it  from  the  hands  of  the  man 
holding  it ;  how  the  latter  had  leaned  out,  and  would  have 
shot  him  had  not  Koger  Browne  from  his  post  above  the 
window  shot  him  in  the  shoulder. 

'*  Here  are  the  cross-bow  and  pistol/'  Captain  Vere  said  ; 
"  and  this  is  the  bolt  as  it  was  picked  up  by  my  men.  You 
see,  sir,  there  is  a  paper  fastened  round  it.  I  know  not 
its  contents,  for  I  judged  it  best  to  leave  it  as  it  was  found 
until  I  placed  it  in  your  hands/' 

The  governor  cut  the  string,  unrolled  the  paper  and 
examined  it.  It  contained  a  statement  as  to  the  state  of 
the  wall,  with  remarks  where  it  was  yielding,  and  where 
the  enemy  had  best  shoot  against  it.  It  said  that  the 
defenders  had  in  the  night  begun  to  form  a  half-moon  be 
hind  it,  and  contained  a  sketch  showing  the  exact  position 
of  the  new  work. 

' '  Gentlemen,  what  think  you  of  this  ? ''  the  governor 
asked  the  English  officers. 

"  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  it  is  a  foul  act  of  treach 
ery/'  Williams  said,  "  and  the  traitor  merits  death." 

"  We  will  not  decide  upon  it  ourselves,"  the  governor 
said.  "I  will  summon  six  of  the  leading  citizens,  who 
shall  sit  as  a  jury  with  us.  This  is  a  grave  matter,  and 
touches  the  honor  of  the  citizens  as  well  as  the  safety  of 
the  town." 

In  a  few  minutes  the  six  citizens  summoned  arrived. 
The  evidence  was  again  given,  and  then  the  prisoner  was 
asked  what  he  had  to  say  in  his  defense. 

"It  is  useless  for  me  to  deny  it,"  he  replied.  "I  am 
caught  in  the  act,  and  must  suffer  for  it.  I  have  done  my 
duty  to  the  King  of  Spain,  my  sovereign  ;  and  I  warn  you 
he  will  take  vengeance  for  my  blood." 

"  That  we  must  risk,"  the  governor  said.  "  Now,  gentle 
men,  you  citizens  of  this  town  now  attacked  by  the  Span 
iards,  and  you,  sir,  who  are  in  command  of  the  soldiers  of 
the  Queen  of  England,  have  heard  the  evidence  and  the 


B  F  ENGLAND '  S  AID.  89 

answer  the  prisoner  has  made.  What  is  your  opinion 
thereon  ?  Do  you,  Sir  Koger  Williams,  being  highest  in 
vrauk  and  authority,  first  give  your  opinion." 

"  I  find  that  he  is  guilty  of  an  act  of  gross  treason  and 
treachery.  For  such  there  is  but  one  punishment — death." 
And  the  six  citizens  all  gave  the  same  decision. 

"  You  are  found  guilty  of  this  foul  crime, "  the  governor 
said,  "and  are  sentenced  to  death.  In  half  an  hour  you 
will  be  hung  in  the  market-place,  as  a  punishment  to  your 
self  and  a  warning  to  other  traitors,  if  such  there  be  in 
this  town  of  Sluys.  As  to  you,  young  sirs,  you  have 
rendered  a  great  service  to  the  town,  and  have  shown  a  dis 
cernment  beyond  your  years.  I  thank  you  in  the  name 
of  the  city  and  of  its  garrison,  and  also  in  that  of  the 
States,  whose  servant  I  am/' 

A  guard  of  armed  citizens  were  now  called  in,  the 
prisoner  was  handed  to  them,  and  orders  given  to  their 
officer  to  carry  the  sentence  into  effect.  A  statement  of 
the  crime  of  the  prisoner,  with  the  names  of  those  who  had 
acted  as  his  judges,  and  the  sentence,  was  then  drawn  out, 
signed  by  the  governor,  and  ordered  by  him  to  be  affixed 
to  the  door  of  the  town-hall.  The  two  lads,  finding  that 
they  were  no  longer  required,  hastened  back  to  their 
quarters,  having  no  wish  to  be  present  at  the  execution  of 
the  unhappy  wretch  whose  crime  they  had  been  the  means 
of  detecting. 

A  few  days  later  considerable  portions  of  the  battered 
wall  fell,  and  shortly  afterwards  a  breach  of  two  hundred 
and  fifty  paces  long  was  effected,  and  a  bridge  of  large 
boats  constructed  by  the  enemy  from  the  dyke  to  the  foot 
of  the  rampart. 

This  was  not  effected  without  terrible  loss.  Hundreds 
of  the  bravest  Spanish  soldiers  and  sailors  were  killed,  and 
three  officers  who  succeeded  each  other  in  command  of  the 
attack  were  badly  wounded.  The  Spanish  had  labored 
under  great  difficulties  owing  to  the  lack  of  earth  to  push 


90  BY  ENGLAND ' 5  AID. 

their  trenches  forward  to  the  edge  of  the  moat,  arisiiig 
from  the  surrounding  country  being  flooded.  They  only 
succeeded  at  last  by  building  wooden  machines  of  bullet 
proof  planks  on  wheels,  behind  each  of  which  four  men 
could  work.  When  all  was  prepared  the  Spaniards  ad 
vanced  to  the  attack,  rushing  up  the  breach  with  splendid 
valor,  headed  by  three  of  their  bravest  leaders  ;  but  they 
were  met  by  the  English  and  Dutch,  and  again  and  again 
hurled  back. 

Day  and  night  the  fighting  continued,  the  Spaniards 
occasionally  retiring  to  allow  their  artillery  to  open  fire 
again  upon  the  shattered  ruins.  But  stoutly  as  the  de 
fenders  fought,  step  by  step  the  Spaniards  won  their  way 
forward  until  they  had  captured  the  breach  and  the  west 
gate  adjoining  it,  there  being  nothing  now  beyond  the 
hastily-constructed  inner  work  between  them  and  the  town. 
The  finest  regiment  of  the  whole  of  the  Spanish  infantry 
now  advanced  to  the  assault,  but  they  were  met  by  the 
defenders — already  sadly  diminished  in  numbers,  but  firm 
and  undaunted  as  ever, — and  their  pikes  and  their  axes 
well  supplied  the  place  of  the  fallen  walls. 

Assault  after  assault  was  met  and  repulsed,  Sir  Eoger 
Williams,  Thomas  Baskervilio,  and  Francis  Vere  being 
always  in  the  thick  of  the  light.  Laskervilie  was  distin 
guished  by  the  white  plumes  of  his  helmet,  Vere  by  his 
crimson  manulo  ;  and  the  valor  of  these  leaders  attracted 
the  admiration  of  the  Duke  of  Parma  himself,  who  watched 
the  fight  from  the  summit  of  the  tower  of  the  western  gate. 
Francis  Vere  was  twice  wounded,  but  not  disabled.  Sir 
Eoger  Williams  urged  him  to  retire,  but  he  replied  that 
he  would  rather  be  killed  ten  times  in  a  breach  than  once 
in  a  house. 

Day  by  day  the  terrible  struggle  continued.  The  Span 
iards  were  able  constantly  to  bring  up  fresh  troops,  but 
the  defenders  had  no  relief.  They  were  reduced  in  num 
bers  from  1000  to  700  men,  and  yet  for  eighteen  clays 


GEOFFREY  AND  LIONEL  SAVE  FRANCIS  VERB'S  LIFE.— Page  91 
Eng.  Aid.] 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  91 

they  maintained  the  struggle,  never  once  leaving  the 
breach. 

The  pages  brought  their  food  to  them,  and  when  the 
attacks  were  fiercest  joined  in  the  defense,  fighting  as 
boldly  and  manfully  as  the  soldiers  themselves.  Geoffrey 
and  Lionel  kept  in  close  attendance  upon  Francis  Vere,, 
only  leaving  him  to  run  back  to  their  quarters  and  bring 
up  the  meals  cooked  for  him  and  his  two  officers  by  Frau 
Menyn  and  her  handmaids.  Both  kept  close  to  him  during 
the  fighting.  They  knew  that  they  were  no  match  in 
strength  for  the  Spanish  pikemen  ;  but  they  had  obtained 
pistols  from  the  armory,  and  with  these  they  did  good 
service,  several  times  freeing  him  from  some  of  his  assail 
ants  when  he  was  sorely  pressed.  On  one  occasion  when 
Francis  Vere  was  smitten  down  by  a  blow  from  an  axe, 
the  boys  rushed  forward  and  kept  back  his  assailants  until 
some  of  the  men  of  the  company  came  to  his  aid. 

"  You  have  done  me  brave  service  indeed/'  Captain  Vere 
said  to  them  when  he  recovered  ;  for  his  helmet  had  de 
fended  him  from  serious  injury,  though  the  force  of  the 
blow  had  felled  him.  "  It  was  a  happy  thought  of  mine 
when  I  decided  to  bring  you  with  me.  This  is  not  the  first 
time  that  yon  have  rendered  me  good  service,  and  I  am 
sure  you  will  turn  out  brave  and  valiant  soldiers  of  the 
queen." 

When  each  assault  ceased  the  weary  soldiers  threw  them 
selves  down  behind  the  earthen  embankment,  and  obtained 
such  sleep  as  they  could  before  the  Spaniards  mustered  for 
fresh  attack.  When,  after  eighteen  days'  terrible  fight 
ing,  the  Duke  of  Parma  saw  that  even  his  best  troops  were 
unable  to  break  through  the  wall  of  steel,  he  desisted  from 
the  assault  and  began  the  slower  process  of  mining.  The 
garrison  from  their  look-out  beheld  the  soldiers  crossing 
the  bridge  with  picks  and  shovels,  and  prepared  to  meet 
them  in  this  new  style  of  warfare.  Captain  Uvedale  was 
appointed  to  command  the  men  told  off  for  this  duty,  and 


92  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

galleries  were  run  from  several  of  the  cellars  to  meet  those 
of  the  enemy. 

As  every  man  was  employed  either  on  the  rampart  or  in 
mining,  many  of  the  pages  7,  ere  told  off  to  act  as  watchers 
in  the  cellars,  and  to  listen  ibr  the  faint  sounds  that  told 
of  the  approach  of  the  enemy's  miners.  As  the  young 
Vickars  were  in  attendance  on  the  officers,  they  were  ex 
empted  from  this  work  ;  but  they  frequently  went  down 
into  the  ce/lars,  both  to  watch  the  process  of  mining  by 
their  own  men  and  to  listen  to  the  faint  sounds  made  by 
the  enemy's  workmen.  One  day  they  were  sitting  on  two 
wine-kegs,  watching  four  soldiers  at  work  at  the  end  of  a 
short  gallery  that  had  been  driven  towards  the  Spaniards. 
Suddenly  there  was  an  explosion,  the  miners  were  blown 
backwards,  the  end  of  the  gallery  disappeared,  and  a  crowd 
of  Walloon  soldiers  almost  immediately  afterwards  rushed 
in. 

The  boys  sprang  to  their  feet  and  were  about  to  fly,  when 
an  idea  occurred  to  Geoffrey.  He  seized  a  torch,  and, 
standing  by  the  side  of  a  barrel  placed  on  end  by  a  large 
tier,  shouted  in  Dutch,  ' '  Another  step  forward  and  I  fire 
the  magazine  ! "  The  men  in  front  paused.  Through  the 
fumes  of  smoke  they  saw  dimly  the  pile  of  barrels  and  a 
figure  standing  with  a  lighted  torch  close  to  one  of  them. 
A  panic  seized  them,  and  believing  they  had  made  their 
way  into  a  powder-magazine,  uud  that  in  another  instant 
there  would  be  a  terrible  crolosion,  they  turned  with 
shouts  of  "  A  magazine  !  a  magazine  !  Fly,  or  we  are  all 
dead  men  ! " 

"Run,  Lionel,  and  get  help, '  Geoffrey  said,  and  in  two 
or  three  minutes  a  number  of  soldiers  ran  down  into  the 
cellar. 

The  Walloons  were  not  long  before  they  recovered  from 
their  panic.  Their  officers  knew  that  the  wine-cellars  of 
the  city  were  in  front  of  them,  and  reassured  them  as  to 
the  character  of  the  barrels  they  had  seen.  They  were, 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  93 

ho  v\  ever,  too  late,  and  a  furious  conflict  took  place  at  the 
entrance  into  the  cellar,  but  the  enemy,  able  only  to 
advance  two  or  three  abreast,  failed  to  force  their  way 
in. 

Captain  Uvedale  and  Francis  Vere  were  soon  on  the 
spot,  and  when  at  last  the  enemy,  unable  to  force  an  en 
trance,  fell  back,  the  former  said,  "  This  is  just  as  I  feared. 
You  see,  the  Spaniards  drove  this  gallery,  and  ceased 
to  work  immediately  they  heard  us  approaching  them. 
We  had  no  idea  that  they  were  in  front  of  us,  and  so  they 
only  had  to  put  a  barrel  of  powder  there  and  fire  it  as  sooii 
as  there  was  but  a  foot  or  two  of  earth  between  us  and 
them." 

"  But  how  was  it,"  Francis  Vere  asked,  "  that  when  they 
fired  it  they  did  not  at  once  rush  forward  ?  They  could 
have  captured  the  whole  building  before  we  knew  what 
had  happened." 

"  That  I  cannot  tell,"  Captain  Uvedale  replied.  "  The 
four  men  at  work  must  have  been  either  killed  or  knocked 
senseless.  We  shall  know  better  another  time,  and  will 
have  a  strong  guard  in  each  cellar  from  which  our  mines 
are  being  driven." 

"  If  it  please  you,  Captain  Uvedale,"  Lionel  said,  "  it 
was  my  brother  Geoffrey  who  prevented  them  from  ad 
vancing  ;  for  indeed  several  of  them  had  already  entered 
the  cellar,  and  the  gallery  behind  was  full  of  them." 

"  But  how  did  he  do  that  ?  "  Captain  Uvedale  asked  in 
surprise. 

Lionel  related  the  ruse  by  which  Geoffrey  had  created  a 
panic  in  the  minds  of  the  Spaniards. 

"  That  was  well  thought  of  indeed,  and  promptly  carried 
out ! "  Captain  Uvedale  exclaimed.  "  Francis,  these 
pages  of  yours  are  truly  promising  young  fellows.  They 
detected  that  rascally  Dutchman  who  was  betraying  us. 
I  noticed  them  several  times  in  the  thick  of  the  fray  at  the 
breach ;  and  now  they  have  saved  the  city  by  their  quick- 


94  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

ness  and  presence  of  mind  ;  for  had  these  Spaniard*  once 
got  possession  of  this  warehouse  they  would  have  speedily 
broken  a  way  along  through  the  whole  tier,  and  could 
then  have  poured  in  upon  us  with  all  their  strength/' 

"That  is  so,  indeed/'  Francis  Vere  agreed.  "They 
have  assuredly  saved  the  town,  and  there  is  the  greatest 
credit  due  to  them.  I  shall  be  glad,  Uvedale,  if  you  will 
report  the  matter  to  our  leader.  You  are  in  command  of 
the  mining  works,  and  it  will  come  better  from  you  than 
from  me  who  am  their  captain." 

Captain  Uvedale  made  his  report,  and  both  Sir  Roger 
Williams  and  the  governor  thanked  the  boys,  and  espe 
cially  Geoffrey,  for  the  great  service  they  had  rendered. 

Very  shortly  the  galleries  were  broken  into  in  several 
other  places,  and  the  battle  became  now  as  fierce  and  con 
tinuous  down  in  the  cellars  as  it  had  before  been  on  the 
breach.  By  the  light  of  torches,  in  an  atmosphere  heavy 
with  the  fumes  of  gunpowder,  surrounded  by  piled-up 
barrels  of  wine,  the  defenders  and  assailants  maintained  a 
terrible  conflict,  men  staggering  up  exhausted  by  their  exer 
tions  and  by  the  stifling  atmosphere,  while  others  took  their 
places  below,  and  so,  night  and  day,  the  desperate  struggle 
continued. 

All  these  weeks  no  serious  effort  had  been  made  for  the 
relief  of  the  hardly  beleaguered  town.  Captains  Hall  and 
Allen  had  several  times  swum  down  at  night  through  the 
bridge  of  boats  with  letters  from  the  governor  entreating 
a  speedy  succor.  The  States  had  sent  a  fleet  which 
sailed  some  distance  up  the  Zwin,  but  returned  without 
making  the  slightest  effort  to  break  through  the  bridge  of 
boats.  The  Earl  of  Leicester  had  advanced  with  a  con 
siderable  force  from  Ostend  against  the  fortress  of  Blank- 
enburg,  but  had  retreated  hastily  as  soon  as  Parma  de 
spatched  a  portion  of  his  army  against  him  ;  and  so  the 
town  was  left  to  its  fate. 

The  last  letter  that  the  governor  despatched  said  that 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  96 

longer  resistance  was  impossible.  The  garrison  were 
reduced  to  a  mere  remnant,  and  these  utterly  worn  out  by 
constant  fighting  and  the  want  of  rest.  He  should  ask  for 
fair  and  honorable  terms,  but  if  these  were  refused  the 
garrison  and  the  whole  male  inhabitants  in  the  cit}r, 
putting  the  women  and  children  in  the  center,  would 
sally  out  and  cut  their  way  through,  or  die  fighting 
in  the  midst  of  the  Spaniards.  The  swimmer  who  took 
the  letter  was  drowned,  but  his  body  was  washed  ashore 
and  the  letter  taken  to  the  Duke  of  Parma, 

Three  days  afterwards  a  fresh  force  of  the  enemy  em 
barked  in  forty  large  boats,  and  were  about  to  land  on  an 
unprotected  wharf  by  the  river-side  when  Arnold  de  Groen- 
velt  hung  out  the  white  flag.  His  powder  was  exhausted 
ind  his  guns  disabled,  and  the  garrison  so  reduced  that 
che  greater  portion  of  the  walls  were  left  wholly  unde 
fended.  The  Duke  of  Parma,  who  was  full  of  admiration 
at  the  extraordinary  gallantry  of  the  defenders,  and  was 
doubtless  also  influenced  by  the  resolution  expressed  in  his 
letter  by  the  governor,  granted  them  most  honorable 
terms.  The  garrison  were  to  march  out  with  all  their  bag 
gage  and  arms,  with  matches  lighted  and  colors  displayed. 
They  were  to  proceed  to  Breskans,  and  there  to  embark 
for  Flushing.  The  life  and  property  of  the  inhabitants 
were  to  be  respected,  and  all  who  did  not  choose  to  embrace 
the  Catholic  faith  were  to  be  allowed  to  leave  the  town 
peaceably,  taking  with  them  their  belongings,  and  to  go 
wheresoever  they  pleased. 

When  the  gates  were  opened  the  garrison  sallied  out. 
The  Duke  of  Parma  had  an  interview  with  several  of  the 
leaders,  and  expressed  his  high  admiration  of  the  valor 
with  which  they  had  fought,  and  said  that  the  siege  of  Sluys 
had  cost  him  more  men  than  he  had  lost  in  the  four  prin 
cipal  sieges  he  had  undertaken  in  the  Low  Country  put 
together.  On  the  4th  of  August  the  duke  entered  Sluye 
in  triumph,  and  at  once  began  to  make  preparations  to 


96  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

take  part  in  the  great  invasion  of  England  for  which 
Spain  was  preparing. 

After  their  arrival  at  Flushing  Captains  Vere,  Uvedale, 
and  others,  who  had  brought  their  companies  from  Bergen- 
op-Zoom  to  aid  in  .the  defense  of  Sluys,  returned  to  that 
town. 

The  Earl  of  Leicester  shortly  afterwards  resigned  his 
appointment  as  general  of  the  army.  He  had  got  on  but 
badly  with  the  States-General,  and  there  was  from  the 
first  no  cordial  co-operation  between  the  two  armies.  The 
force  at  his  disposal  was  never  strong  enough  to  do  any 
thing  against  the  vastly  superior  armies  of  the  Duke  of 
Parma,  who  was  one  of  the  most  brilliant  generals  of  his 
age,  while  he  was  hampered  and  thwarted  by  the  intrigues 
and  duplicity  of  Elizabeth,  who  was  constantly  engaged 
in  half-hearted  negotiations,  now  with  France  and  now 
with  Spain,  and  whose  capricious  temper  was  continually 
overthrowing  the  best-laid  plans  of  her  councilors  and 
paralyzing  the  actions  of  her  commanders.  It  was  not 
until  she  saw  her  kingdom  threatened  by  invasion  that  she 
placed  herself  fairly  at  the  head  of  the  national  movement, 
and  inspired  her  subjects  with  her  energy  and  determin 
ation. 

Geoffrey  Vickars  had  been  somewhat  severely  wounded 
upon  the  last  day  of  the  struggle  in  the  cellar,  a  Spanish 
officer  having  beaten  down  his  guard  and  cleft  through  his 
morion.  Lionel  was  unwounded,  but  the  fatigue  and  ex 
citement  had  told  upon  him  greatly,  and  soon  after  they 
arrived  at  Bergen,  Captain  Vere  advised  both  of  them  to 
return  home  for  a  few  months. 

"  There  is  nothing  likely  to  be  doing  here  until  the 
spring.  Parma  has  more  serious  matters  in  hand.  They 
talk,  you  know,  of  invading  England,  and  after  his  ex 
perience  at  Sluys  I  do  not  think  he  will  be  wasting  his 
force  by  knocking  their  heads  against  stone  walls.  I 
should  be  glad  if  I  could  return  too,  but  I  have  my  com- 


B T  ENGLA ND'S  AID.  P7 

pany  to  look  after  and  must  remain  where  I  am  ordered  ; 
but  as  you  are  but  volunteers  and  giving  your  service  at 
Vbur  pleasure,  and  are  not  regularly  upon  the  list  of  the 
pages  of  the  company,  I  can  undertake  to  grant  you  leave, 
and  indeed  I  can  see  that  you  both  greatly  need  rest. 
You  have  begun  well  and  have  both  done  good  service, 
and  have  been  twice  thanked  by  the  governor  of  Sluys  and 
Sir  Eoger  Williams, 

"  You  will  do  yourselves  no  good  by  being  shut  up 
through  the  winter  in  this  dull  town,  and  as  there  is  a 
vessel  lying  by  the  quay  which  is  to  set  sail  to-morrow.  I 
think  you  cannot  do  better  than  go  in  her.  I  will  give 
you  letters  to  my  cousin  and  your  father  saying  how  well 
you  have  borne  yourselves,  and  how  mightily  Sir  Eoger 
Williams  was  pleased  with  you.  In  the  spring  you  can 
rejoin,  unless  indeed  the  Spaniards  should  land  in  Eng 
land,  which  Heaven  forfend,  in  which  case  you  will  prob 
ably  prefer  to  ride  under  my  cousin's  banner  at  home." 

The  boys  gladly  accepted  Francis  Vere's  proposal.  It 
was  but  three  months  since  they  had  set  foot  in  Holland, 
but  they  had  gone  through  a  tremendous  experience,  and 
the  thought  of  being  shut  up  for  eight  or  nine  months  at 
Bergen-op-Zoom  was  by  no  means  a  pleasant  one.  Both 
felt  worn-out  and  exhausted,  and  longed  for  the  fresh 
keen  air  of  the  eastern  coast.  Therefore  the  next  morn 
ing  they  embarked  on  board  ship.  Ca.ptain  Vere  presented 
them  each  with  a  handsome  brace  of  pistols  in  token  of 
his  regard,  and  Captains  Uvedale,  Baskerville,  and  other 
officers  who  were  intimate  friends  of  Vere's,  and  had  met 
them  at  his  quarters,  gave  them  handsome  presents  in 
recognition  of  the  services  they  had  rendered  at  Sluys. 

The  ship  was  bound  for  Harwich,  which  was  the  nearest 
English  port.  Landing  there,  they  took  passage  by  boat 
to  Manningtree  and  thence  by  horse  home,  where  they 
astounded  their  father  and  mother  by  their  sudden  ap 
pearance. 
7 


9h  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

"  And  this  is  what  comes  of  your  soldiering,"  Mrs.  Tick- 
are  said  when  the  first  greeting  was  over.  "  Here  is 
Geoffrey  with  plasters  all  over  the  side  of  his  head,  and 
yon,  Lionel,  looking  as  pale  and  thin  as  if  you  had  gone 
through  a  long  illness.  I  told  your  father  when  we  heard 
of  your  going  that  you  ought  to  be  brought  back  and 
whipped  ;  but  the  earl  talked  him  over  into  writing  to 
Captain  Fraijcis  to  tell  him  that  he  approved  of  this  mad- 
brained  business,  and  a  nice  affair  it  has  turned  out." 

"  You  will  not  have  to  complain  of  our  looks,  mother, 
at  the  end  of  a  week  or  two,"  Geoffrey  said.  "  My  wound 
is  healing  fast,  and  Lionel  only  needs  an  extra  amount  of 
sleep  for  a  time.  You  see,  for  nearly  a  month  we  were 
never  in  bed,  but  just  lay  down  to  sleep  by  the  side  of 
Captain  Vere  on  the  top  of  the  ramparts,  where  we  had 
been  fighting  all  day." 

11  It  was  a  gallant  defense,"  Mr.  Vickars  said,  "and  all 
England  is  talking  of  it.  It  was  wonderful  that  800  Eng 
lish  and  as  many  Dutchmen  should  hold  a  weak  place  for 
two  months  against  full  twelve  times  their  number  of 
Spaniards,  led  by  the  Duke  of  Parma  himself,  and  there 
is  great  honor  for  all  who  took  part  in  the  defense.  The 
governor  and  Sir  Roger  Williams  especially  mentioned 
Francis  Vere  as  among  the  bravest  and  best  of  their  cap 
tains,  and  although  you  as  pages  can  have  had  naught  to 
do  with  the  fighting,  you  will  have  credit  as  serving  under 
his  banner." 

"I  think,  father,"  Geoffrey  said,  touching  the  plasters 
on  his  head,  "this  looks  somewhat  as  if  we  had  had  some 
thing  to  do  with  the  fighting,  and  here  is  a  letter  for  you 
from  Captain  Vere  which  will  give  you  some  information 
about  it." 

Mr.  Vickars  adjusted  his  horn  spectacles  on  his  face  and 
opened  the  letter.  It  began  : 

"  My  dear  Master  and  Friend, — I  have  had  no  means  of 
writing  to  you  since  your  letter  came  to  me,  haring  had 


B  Y  ENGLAND '  5  A  ID.  9C 

other  matters  in  hand,  and  being  cut  off  from  all  communi 
cation  with  England.  I  was  glad  to  find  that  you  did  not 
take  amiss  my  carrying  off  of  your  sons.  Indeed  that  action 
has  turned  out  more  happily  than  might  have  been  ex 
pected,  for  I  own  that  they  were  but  young  for  such  rough 
service. 

'•'  However,  they  have  proved  themselves  valiant  young 
gentlemen.  They  fought  stoutly  by  my  side  during  our 
long  tussle  with  the  Spaniards,  and  more  than  once  saved 
my  life  by  ridding  me  of  foes  who  would  have  taken  me  at 
a  disadvantage.  Once,  indeed,  when  I  was  down  from  a 
blow  on  the  pate  from  a  Spanish  axe,  they  rushed  forward 
and  kept  my  assailants  at  bay  until  rescue  came.  They 
discovered  a  plot  between  a  traitor  in  the  town  and  the 
Spaniards,  and  succeeded  in  defeating  his  plans  and  bring 
ing  him  to  justice. 

"They  were  also  the  means  of  preventing  the  Spaniards 
from  breaking  into  the  great  wine-cellars  and  capturing 
the  warehouses,  and  for  each  of  these  services  they  re 
ceived  the  thanks  of  the  Dutch  governor  and  of  Sir  Roger 
Williams,  our  leader.  Thus,  you  see,  although  so  young 
they  have  distinguished  themselves  mightily,  and  should 
aught  befall  me,  there  are  many  among  my  friends  who 
will  gladly  take  them  under  their  protection  and  push 
them  forward.  I  have  sent  them  home  for  a  time  to  have 
quiet  and  rest,  which  they  need  after  their  exertions,  and 
have  done  this  the  more  willingly  since  there  is  no  chance 
of  fighting  for  many  months  to  come.  I  hope  that  before 
the  Spaniards  again  advance  against  us  I  may  have  them 
by  my  side." 

"  Well,  well,  this  is  wonderful."  Mrs.  Vickars  said  when 
her  husband  had  finished  reading  the  letter.  "  If  they 
had  told  me  themselves  I  should  not  have  believed  them, 
although  they  have  never  been  given  to  the  sin  of  lying  ; 
but  since  it  is  writ  in  Master  Vere's  own  hand  it  cannot  be 
doubted.  And  now  tell  us  all  about  it,  boys." 


100  B  Y  ENGLAND '  8  AID. 

"  We  will  tell  you  when  we  have  had  dinner,  mother. 
This  brisk  Essex  air  has  given  us  both  an  appetite,  and 
until  that  is  satisfied  you  must  excuse  us  telling  a  long 
story.  Is  the  earl  at  the  castle,  father  ?  because  we  have 
two  letters  to  him  from  Captain  Francis — one,  I  believe, 
touching  our  affairs,  and  the  other  on  private  matters. 
We  have  also  letters  from  him  to  his  mother  and  his 
brother  John,  and  these  we  had  better  send  off  at  once  oy 
a  messenger,  as  also  the  private  letters  to  the  earl.'' 

"  That  I  will  take  myself,"  Mr.  Yickars  said.  "  I  was 
just  going  up  to  him  to  speak  about  my  parish  affairs  when 
you  arrived." 

"  You  had  better  have  your  dinner  first,"  Mrs.  Yickars 
said  decidedly.  "  When  you  once  get  with  the  earl  and 
begin  talking  you  lose  all  account  of  the  time,  and  only 
last  week  kept  dinner  waiting  for  two  hours.  It  is  half- 
past  eleven  now,  and  I  will  hurry  it  on  so  that  it  will  be 
ready  a  few  minutes  before  noon." 

1 '  Very  well,  my  dear  ;  but  I  will  go  out  into  the  village 
at  once  and  find  a  messenger  to  despatch  to  Cropping  Hall 
with  the  letters  to  Dame  Elizabeth  and  John  Yere." 

The  boys'  story  was  not  told  until  after  supper,  for  as 
soon  as  dinner  was  over  Mr.  Yickars  went  up  to  the  castle 
with  the  letters  for  the  earl.  The  latter,  after  reading 
them,  told  him  that  his  cousin  spoke  most  highly  of  his 
two  sons,  and  said  they  had  been  of  great  service,  even  as 
far  as  the  saving  of  his  life.  The  earl  told  Mr.  Yickars  to 
bring  the  boys  up  next  day  to  see  him,  in  order  that  he 
might  learn  a  full  account  of  the  fighting  at  Sluys,  and 
that  he  hoped  they  would  very  often  come  in,  and  would, 
while  they  were  at  home,  practice  daily  with  his  master 
of  arms  at  the  castle.  "  I  know,  Mr.  Yickars,  that  you 
had  hoped  that  one  of  them  would  enter  the  church  ;  but 
you  see  that  their  tastes  lie  not  in  that  direction,  and  it  is 
evident  that,  as  in  the  case  of  my  cousin  Francis,  they  are 
cut  out  for  soldiers." 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  101 

"  I  am  afraid  so,"  Mr.  Vickars  said ;  "  and  I  must  let 
them  have  their  own  way,  for  I  hold  that  none  should  be 
forced  to  follow  the  ministry  save  those  whose  natural  bent 
lies  that  way." 

"  I  don't  think  they  have  chosen  badly,"  the  earl  said. 
"  My  cousin  Francis  bids  fair  to  make  a  great  soldier,  and 
as  they  start  in  life  as  his  pages  they  will  have  every  chance 
of  getting  on,  and  I  warrant  me  that  Francis  will  push 
their  fortunes.  Perhaps  I  may  be  able  to  aid  them  some 
what  myself.  If  aught  comes  of  this  vaporing  of  the 
Spaniards,  before  the  boys  return  to  Holland,  they  shall 
ride  with  me.  I  am  already  arming  all  the  tenantry  and 
having  them  practiced  in  warlike  exercises,  and  in  the 
spring  I  shall  fit  out  two  ships  at  Harwich  to  join  the  fleet 
that  will  put  to  sea  should  the  Spaniards  carry  out  their 
threats  of  invading  us." 


102  SY  ENGLAND  S  AID. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  LOSS  OF  THE  "  SUSAN." 

THREE  were  few  people  in  Hedingham  more  pleased  to 
see  the  two  lads  on  their  return  than  John  Lirriper,  to 
whom  they  paid  a  visit  on  the  first  day  they  went  out. 

*'  I  am  glad  to  see  you  back,  young  masters  ;  though,  to 
say  the  truth,  you  are  not  looking  nigh  so  strong  and  well 
as  you  did  when  I  last  parted  from  you." 

"  We  shall  soon  be  all  right  again,  John.  We  have 
had  rather  a  rough  time  of  it  over  there  in  Sluys." 

"  Ah,  so  I  have  heard  tell,  Master  Geoffrey.  Your 
father  read  out  from  the  pulpit  a  letter  the  earl  had  re 
ceived  from  Captain  Francis  telling  about  the  fighting, 
and  it  mentioned  that  you  were  both  alive  and  well  and 
had  done  good  service  ;  but  it  was  only  a  short  letter  sent 
off  in  haste  the  day  after  he  and  the  others  had  got  out  of 
the  town.  I  was  right  glad  when  I  heard  it,  I  can  tell 
you,  for  there  had  been  naught  talked  of  here  but  the 
siege  ;  and  though  your  lady  mother  has  not  said  much 
to  me,  I  always  held  myself  ready  to  slip  round  the  corner 
or  into  a  house  when  I  saw  her  come  down  the  street,  for 
I  knew  well  enough  what  was  in  her  mind.  She  was  just 
saying  to  herself,  '  John  Lirriper,  if  it  hadn't  been  for  you 
my  two  boys  would  not  be  in  peril  now.  If  aught  comes 
to  them,  it  will  be  your  doing.'  And  though  it  was  not 
my  fault,  as  far  as  I  could  see,  for  Captain  Francis  took 
you  off  my  hands,  as  it  were,  and  I  had  no  more  to  say  in 
the  matter  than  a  child,  still,  there  it  was,  and  right  glad 


S  Y  ENGLAND '  5  AID.  1 03 

wai  .  v/hen  I  heard  that  the  siege  was  over  and  you  were 
both  alive. 

"  I  had  a  bad  time  of  it,  I  can  tell  you,  when  I  first  got 
back,  young  sirs,  for  your  mother  rated  me  finely  ;  and 
though  your  father  said  it  was  not  my  fault  in  any  way, 
she  would  not  listen  to  him,  but  said  she  had  given  you 
into  my  charge,  and  that  I  had  no  right  to  hand  you  over 
to  any  others  save  with  your  father's  permission — not  if  it 
were  to  the  earl  himself ,-— and  for  a  long  time  after  she 
would  make  as  if  she  didn't  see  me  if  she  met  me  in  the 
street.  When  my  wife  was  ill  about  that  time  she  sent 
down  broths  and  simples  to  her,  but  she  sent  them  by  one 
of  the  maids,  and  never  came  herself  save  when  she  knew 
I  was  away  in  my  boat. 

"However,  the  day  after  the  reading  of  that  letter  she 
came  in  and  said  she  was  sorry  she  had  treated  me  hardly, 
and  that  she  had  known  at  heart  all  along  that  it  was  not 
altogether  my  fault,  and  asked  my  pardon  as  nice  as  if  I 
had  been  the  earl.  Of  course  I  said  there  was  nothing  to 
ask  pardon  for,  and  indeed  that  I  thought  it  was  only 
natural  she  should  have  blamed  me,  for  that  I  had  often 
blamed  myself,  though  not  seeing  how  I  could  have  done 
otherwise.  However,  I  was  right  glad  when  the  matter 
was  made  up,  for  it  is  not  pleasant  for  a  man  when  the 
parson's  wife  sets  herself  against  him." 

"It  was  certainly  hard  upon  you,  John,"  Geoffrey 
said  ;  "  but  I  am  sure  our  mother  does  not  in  any  way 
blame  you  now.  You  see,  we  brought  home  letters  from 
Captain  Vere,  or  rather  Sir  Francis,  for  he  has  been 
knighted  now,  and  he  was  good  enough  to  speak  very 
kindly  of  what  we  were  able  to  do  in  the  siege.  Mother 
did  not  say  much,  but  I  am  sure  that  at  heart  she  is  very 
grateful,  for  the  earl  himself  came  down  to  the  Rectory 
and  spoke  warmly  about  us,  and  said  that  he  should  al 
ways  be  our  fast  friend,  because  we  had  given  his  cousin 
some  help  when  he  was  roughly  pressed  by  the  Spaniards. 


104  BY  ENGLAND1  S  AID. 

I  hope  we  shall  have  another  sail  with  you  in  a  short  time, 
for  we  are  not  going  back  to  the  Netherlands  at  present, 
as  things  are  likely  to  be  quiet  there  now.  Although  he 
did  not  say  so,  I  think  Sir  Francis  chought  that  we  were 
over-young  for  such  rough  work,  and  would  be  more  use 
ful  in  a  year's  time  ;  for,  you  see,  in  these  sieges  even  pages 
have  to  take  their  share  in  the  fighting,  and  when  it  comes 
to  push  of  pike  with  the  Spaniards  more  strength  and 
vigor  are  needed  than  we  possess  at  present.  So  we  are  to 
continue  our  practice  at  arms  at  the  castle,  and  to  take 
part  in  the  drilling  of  the  companies  the  earl  is  raising  in 
case  the  Spaniards  carry  out  their  threat  of  invading  Eng 
land/' 

Mrs.  Vickars  offered  no  objection  whatever  the  first  time 
Geoffrey  -sked  permission  to  go  down  to  Bricklesey  with 
John  Lirriper. 

"  I  have  no  objection,  Geoffrey ;  and,  indeed,  now  that 
you  have  chosen  your  own  lives  and  are  pages  to  Sir 
Francis  Vere,  it  seems  to  me  that  in  matters  of  this  kind 
you  can  judge  for  yourself.  Now  that  you  have  taken  to 
soldiering  and  have  borne  your  part  in  a  great  siege,  and 
have  even  yourselves  fought  with  the  Spaniards,  I  deem  it 
that  you  have  got  beyond  my  wing,  and  must  now  act  in 
all  small  matters  as  it  pleases  you ;  and  that  since  you 
have  already  run  great  danger  of  your  lives,  and  may  do 
so  again  ere  long,  it  would  be  folly  of  me  to  try  to  keep 
you  at  my  apron-strings  and  to  treat  you  as  if  you  were 
still  children/' 

So  the  two  lads  often  accompanied  John  Lirriper  to 
Bricklesey,  and  twice  sailed  up  the  river  to  London  and 
back  in  Joe  Chambers'  smack,  these  jaunts  furnishing  a 
pleasant  change  to  their  work  of  practicing  with  pike  and 
sword  with  the  men-at-arms  at  the  castle,  or  learning  the 
words  Of  command  and  the  work  of  officers  in  drilling  the 
newly-raised  corps.  One  day  John  Lirriper  told  them 
that  his  ner»hew  was  this  time  going  to  sail  up  the  Medway 


B  F  ENGLAND '  8  AID.  105 

to  Rochester,  and  would  be  glad  to  take  them  with  him  if 
they  liked  it ;  fo.  they  were  by  this  time  prime  favorites 
».  with  the  master  of  the  Susan.  Although  their  mother 
had  told  them  that  they  wer.  at  liberty  to  go  as  they 
pleased,  they  neverthelers  r.lways  made  a  point  of  asking 
permission  befor^  they  went  away. 

"  If  the  wind  is  fair  we  shall  net  be  long  away  on  tint 
trip,  mother.  Two  days  will  take  us  up  to  Eochester ; 
we  shall  be  a  day  loading  there,  and  shall  therefore  be 
back  on  Saturday  if  the  wind  serves,  and  may  even  be 
sooner  if  the  weather  is  fine  and  we  sail  with  the  night 
tides,  as  likely  enough  we  shall,  for  the  moon  is  nearly 
full,  and  there  will  be  plenty  of  light  to  keep  our  course 
free  of  the  sands." 

The  permission  was  readily  given.  Mrs.  Vickars  had 
come  to  see  that  it  was  useless  to  worry  over  small  matters, 
and  therefore  nodded  cheerfully,  and  said  she  would  give 
orders  at  once  for  a  couple  of  chickens  to  be  killed  and 
other  provision  prepared  for  their  voyage. 

"  I  doubt  you  are  going  to  have  a  rougher  voyage  than 
usual  this  time,  young  masters,"  John  Lirriper  said  when 
the  boat  was  approaching  Bricklesey.  "  The  sky  looks 
wild,  and  I  think  there  is  going  to  be  a  break  in  the 
weather.  However,  the  Susan  is  a  stout  boat,  and  my 
nephew  a  careful  navigator." 

"  I  should  like  a  rough  voyage  for  a  change,  John," 
Geoffrey  said.  "  We  have  always  had  still  water  and  light 
winds  on  our  trips,  and  I  should  like  a  good  blow." 

"  Well,  I  think  you  will  have  one ;  though  may  be  it 
will  only  come  on  thick  and  wet.  Still  I  think  there  is 
wind  in  those  clouds,  and  that  if  it  does  come  it  will  be 
from  the  southeast,  in  which  case  you  will  have  a  sharp 
buffeting.  But  you  will  make  good  passage  enough  down 
to  the  Nore  once  you  are  fairly  round  the  Whittaker." 

"  Glad  to  see  you,  young  masters,"  Joe  Chambers  said 
as  the  boat  *o.me  alongside  his  craft.  "  You  often 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

grumbled  at  the  light  winds,  but  unless  I  am  mistaken  wa 
shall  be  carrying  double  reefs  this  journey.  What  do  you 
think,  Uncle  John?" 

"  I  have  been  saying  the  same,  lad  ;  still  there  is  no 
saying.  You  will  know  more  about  it  in  a  few  hours'  time." 

It  was  evening  when  the  boys  went  on  board  the  Susan, 
and  as  soon  as  supper  was  over  they  lay  down,  as  she  was 
to  start  at  daybreak  the  next  morning.  As  soon  as  they 
were  roused  by  the  creaking  of  the  blocks  and  the  sound 
of  trampling  of  feet  overhead  they  went  up  on  deck.  Day 
had  just  broken  ;  the  sky  was  overspread  by  dark  clouds. 

"  There  is  not  much  wind  after  all/'  Geoffrey  said  as  he 
looked  round. 

"  No,  it  has  fallen  light  during  the  last  two  hours/'  the 
skipper  replied,  "  but  I  expect  we  shall  have  plenty  before 
long.  However,  we  could  do  with  a  little  more  now." 

Tide  was  half  out  when  they  started.  Joe  Chambers 
had  said  the  night  before  that  he  intended  to  drop  down 
to  the  edge  of  the  sands  and  there  anchor,  and  to  make 
across  them  past  the  Whittaker  Beacon  in*o  the  channel 
as  soon  as  there  was  sufficient  water  to  enable  him  to  do  so. 
The  wind  was  light,  sometimes  scarcely  sufficient  to  belly 
out  the  sails  and  give  the  boat  steerage  way,  at  others 
coming  in  short  puffs  which  heeled  her  over  and  made  her 
spring  forward  merrily. 

Before  long  the  wind  fell  lighter  and  lighter,  and  at  last 
Joe  Chambers  ordered  the  oars  to  be  got  out. 

"  We  must  get  down  to  the  edge  of  ths  Buxey/'he  said? 
"  before  the  tide  turns,  or  we  shall  have  it  against  us,  and 
with  this  wind  we  should  never  be  able  to  stem  it,  but 
should  be  swept  up  the  Crouch.  At  present  it  is  helping 
us,  and  with  a  couple  of  hours'  rowing  we  may  save  it  ta 
the  Buxey." 

The  boys  helped  at  the  sweeps,  and  for  two  hours  the 
creaking  of  the  oars  and  the  dull  napping  of  the  sail  alone 
broke  the  silence  of  the  calm ;  and  the  lads  were  by  no 


B  Y  ENGLAND '  S  AID.  107 

means  sorry  when  the  skipper  gave  the  order  for  the 
anchor  to  be  dropped. 

»•  "I  should  like  to  have  got  about  half  a  mile  further/* 
he  said ;  "  but  I  can  see  by  the  landmarks  that  we  are 
making  no  way  now.  The  tide  is  beginning  to  suck  in." 

"  How  long  will  it  be  before  we  have  water  enough  tc 
cross  the  Spit  ?  "  Lionel  asked  as  they  laid  in  the  oars. 

"  Well  nigh  four  hours,  Master  Lionel.  Then,  even  ii 
it  keeps  a  stark  calm  like  this,  we  shall  be  able  to  get 
across  the  sands  and  a  mile  or  two  up  the  channel  before 
we  meet  the  tide.  There  we  must  anchor  again  till  the 
first  strength  is  past,  and  then  if  the  wind  springs  up  we 
can  work  along  at  the  edge  of  the  sands  against  it.  There 
is  no  tide  close  in  to  the  sands  after  the  first  two  hours. 
But  I  still  think  this  is  going  to  turn  into  wind  presently  ; 
and  if  it  does  it  will  be  sharp  and  heavy,  I  warrant.  It's 
either  that  or  rain." 

The  sky  grew  darker  and  darker  until  the  water  looked 
almost  black  under  a  leaden  canopy. 

"  I  wish  we  were  back  into  Bricklesey,"  Joe  Chambers 
said.  "  I  have  been  well-nigh  fifteen  years  going  back 
wards  and  forwards  here,  and  I  do  not  know  that  ever  I 
saw  an  awkwarder  look  about  the  sky.  It  reminds  me  of 
what  I  have  heard  men  who  have  sailed  to  the  Indies  say 
they  have  seen  there  before  a  hurricane  breaks.  If  it  was 
not  that  we  saw  the  clouds  flying  fast  overhead  when  we 
started,  1  should  have  said  it  was  a  thick  sea  fog  that  had 
rolled  in  upon  us.  Ah,  there  is  the  first  drop.  I  don't 
care  how  hard  it  comes  down  so  that  there  is  not  wind  at 
the  tail  of  it.  A  squall  of  wind  before  rain  is  soon  over  ; 
but  when  it  follows  rain  you  will  soon  have  your  sails 
close-reefed.  You  had  best  go  below  or  you  will  be  wet 
through  in  a  minute/' 

The  great  drops  were  pattering  down  on  the  deck  and 
causing  splashes  as  of  ink  on  the  surface  of  the  oily-look 
ing  water.  Another  half  minute  it  was  pouring  with  such 


108  ST  ENGLAND'S  All!. 

a  mighty  roar  on  the  deck  that  the  hoys  below  needed  to 
shout  to  make  each  other  heard.  It  lasted  but  fire 
minutes,  and  then  stopped  as  suddenly  as  it  began.  The 
lads  at  once  returned  to  the  deck. 

"  So  it  is  all  over,  Master  Chambers/' 

"  Well  the  first  part  is  over,  but  that  is  only  a  sort  of  a 
beginning.  Look  at  that  light  under  the  clouds  away  to 
the  south  of  east.  That  is  where  it  is  coming  from,  unless 
I  am  mistaken.  Turn  to  and  get  the  mainsail  down,  lads," 
for  although  after  dropping  anchor  the  head  sails  had  been 
lowered,  the  main  and  mizzeii  were  still  on  her. 

The  men  set  to  work,  and  the  boys  helped  to  stow  the 
sail  and  fasten  it  with  the  tiers.  Suddenly  there  was  a 
sharp  puff  of  wind.  It  lasted  a  few  seconds  only,  tlien  Joe 
Chambers  pointed  towards  the  spot  whence  a  haxy  light 
seemed  to  come. 

"Here  it  comes/"  ue  said.  "Do  you  see  that  line  of 
white  water.  That  is  a  squall  and  no  mistake.  I  am  glad 
we  are  not  under  sail." 

Thero  was  a  sharp,  hissing  sound  as  the  line  of  white 
water  approached  them,  and  then  the  squall  struck  them 
with  such  force  and  fury  that  the  lads  instinctively  grasped 
at  the  shrouds.  The  mizzen  had  brought  the  craft  in  a 
moment  head-to-wind,  and  Joe  Chambers  and  the  two 
sailors  at  once  lowered  it  and  stowed  it  away. 

"Only  put  a  couple  of  tiers  on/' the  skipper  shouted. 
"  We  may  have  to  upsail  again  if  this  goes  on." 

The  sea  got  up  with  great  rapidity,  and  a  few  minutes 
after  the  squull  had  struck  them  the  Susan  was  beginning 
to  pitch  heavily.  The  wind  increased  in  force,  and  seemed 
to  scream  rather  than  whistle  in  the  rigging. 

"The  sea  is  getting  up  fast  ! "  Geoffrey  shouted  in  the 
skipper's  ear  as  he  took  his  place  close  to  him. 

"  It  won't  be  very  heavy  yet/'  Joe  Chambers  replied  ; 
"  the  sands  break  its  force.  But  the  tide  has  turned  now, 
and  as  it  makes  over  the  sand  there  will  be  a  tremendous 


SY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  109 

•ea  here  in  no  time  ;  that  is  if  this  wind  holds,  and  it  seems 
JDO  me  that  it  is  going  to  be  an  unusual  gale  altogether." 

"  How  long  will  it  be  before  we  can  cross  the  Spit  ?  " 

"  We  are  not  going  to  cross  to-day,  that's  certain/'  the 
skipper  said.  "  There  will  be  a  sea  over  those  sands  that 
would  knock  the  life  out  of  the  strongest  craft  that  ever 
floated.  No,  I  shall  wait  here  for  another  hour  or  two  if 
I  can,  and  then  slip  my  cable  and  run  for  the  Crouch.  It 
is  a  narrow  channel,  and  I  never  care  about  going  into  it 
after  dark  until  there  is  water  enough  for  a  craft  of  our 
draught  over  the  sands.  It  ain't  night  now,  but  it  is  well 
nigh  as  dark.  There  is  no  making  out  the  bearings  of  the 
land,  and  we  have  got  to  trust  to  the  perches  the  fishermen 
put  up  at  the  bends  of  the  channel.  However,  we  have 
got  to  try  it.  Our  anchors  would  never  hold  here  when  the 
sea  gets  over  the  sands,  and  if  they  did  they  would  pull 
her  head  under  water." 

In  hal'  an  hour  a  sea  had  got  up  that  seemed  to  the  boys 
tremend  us.  Dark  a*>  it  was  they  could  see  in  various  direc 
tions  tra'ts  of  whi'e  -rater  where  the  waves  broke  wildly 
over  the  sands.  The  second  anchor  had  been  let  go  some 
time  before.  The  two  cables  were  as  taut  as  iron  bars, 
and  the  boat  was  pulling  her  bows  under  every  sea.  Joe 
Chambers  dropped  a  lead-line  overboard  and  watched  it 
closely. 

"We  are  dragging  our  anchors/'  he  said.  "There  is 
nothing  for  it  but  to  run." 

He  went  to  the  bow,  fastened  two  logs  of  wood  by  long 
lines  to  the  cables  outside  the  bow,  so  that  he  could  find 
and  recover  the  anchors  on  his  return,  then  a  very  small 
jib  was  hoisted,  and  as  it  filled  two  blows  with  an  axe  sev 
ered  the  cables  inboard.  The  logs  attached  to  them  were 
thrown  over,  and  the  skipper  ran  aft  and  put  up  the  helm 
as  the  boat's  head  payed  off  before  the  wind.  As  she  did 
so  a  wave  struck  her  and  threw  tons  of  water  on  board,  fill 
ing  her  deck  nearly  up  to  the  rails.  It  was  well  Joe  had 


110  B T  ENGLAND ' S  AID. 

shouted  to  the  boys  to  hold  on,  for  had  they  not  done  so 
they  would  hare  been  swept  overboard. 

Another  wave  struck  them  before  they  were  fairly  round, 
smashing  in  the  bulwark  and  sweeping  everything  before 
it,  and  the  boys  both  thought  that  the  Susan  was  sinking 
under  their  feet.  However,  she  recovered  herself.  The 
water  poured  out  through  the  broken  bulwark,  and  the 
boat  rose  again  on  the  waves  as  they  swept  one  after  another 
down  upon  her  stern.  The  channel  was  well  marked  now, 
for  the  sands  on  either  side  were  covered  with  breaking 
water.  Joe  Chambers  shouted  to  the  sailors  to  close-reef 
the  mizzen  and  hoist  it,  so  that  he  might  have  the  boat 
better  under  control.  The  wind  was  not  directly  astern 
but  somewhat  on  the  quarter ;  and  small  as  was  the  amount 
of  sail  shown,  the  boat  lay  over  till  her  lee-rail  was  at  times 
under  water  ;  the  following  waves  yawing  her  about  so 
much  that  it  needed  the  most  careful  steering  to  prevent 
her  from  broaching  to. 

"  It  seems  to  me  as  the  wind  is  northering  ! "  one  of  the 
men  shouted. 

The  skipper  nodded  and  slackened  out  the  sheet  a  bit  as 
the  wind  came  more  astern.  He  kept  his  eyes  fixed  ahead 
of  him,  and  the  men  kept  gazing  through  the  gloom. 

"  There  is  the  perch,"  one  of  them  shouted  presently, 
*  just  on  her  weather-bow  !  " 

The  skipper  nodded  and  held  on  the  same  course  until 
abreast  of  the  perch,  which  was  only  a  forked  stick.  The 
men  came  aft  and  hauled  in  the  mizzen  sheet.  Chambers 
put  up  the  helm.  The  mizzen  came  across  with  a  jerk, 
and  the  sheet  was  again  allowed  to  run  out.  The  jib  came 
over  with  a  report  like  the  shot  of  a  cannon,  and  at  the 
same  moment  split  into  streamers. 

"  Hoist  the  foresail !  "  the  skipper  shouted,  and  the  men 
sprang  forward  and  seized  the  halliards  ;  but  at  this  mo 
ment  the  wind  seemed  to  blow  with  a  double  fury,  and  the 
moment  the  sail  was  set  it  too  split  into  ribbons. 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  Ill 

"  Get  up  another  jib  !  "  Joe  Chambers  shouted,  and  one 
of  the  men  sprang  below.  In  half  a  minute  he  reappeared 
with  another  sail. 

"Up  with  it  quick,  Bill.  We  are  drifting  bodily  down 
on  the  sand." 

Bill  hurried  forward.  The  other  hand  had  hauled  in 
the  traveler,  to  which  the  bolt-rope  of  the  jib  was  still  at 
tached,  and  hauling  on  this  had  got  the  block  down  and  in 
readiness  for  fastening  on  the  new  jib.  The  sheets  were 
hooked  on,  and  then  while  one  hand  ran  the  sail  out  with 
the  out-haul  to  the  bowsprit  end,  the  other  hoisted  with 
the  halliards.  By  this  time  the  boat  was  close  to  the 
broken  water.  As  the  sail  filled  her  head  payed  off  towards 
it.  The  wind  lay  her  right  over,  and  before  she  could 
gather  way  there  was  a  tremendous  crash.  The  Susan  had 
struck  on  the  sands.  The  next  wave  lifted  her,  but  as  it 
passed  on  she  came  down  with  a  crash  that  seemed  to  shake 
her  in  pieces.  Joe  Chambers  relaxed  his  grasp  of  the  now 
useless  tiller. 

"  It  is  all  over,"  he  said  to  the  boys.  "  Nothing  can 
save  her  now.  If  she  had  been  her  own  length  farther  off 
the  sands  she  would  have  gathered  way  in  time.  As  it  is 
another  ten  minutes  and  she  will  be  in  splinters." 

She  was  now  lying  over  until  her  masthead  was  but  a  few 
feet  above  water.  The  seas  were  striking  her  with  tremen 
dous  force,  pouring  a  deluge  of  water  over  her. 

"  There  is  but  one  chance  for  you,"  he  went  on.  "  The 
wind  is  dead  on  the  shore,  and  Foulness  lies  scarce  three 
miles  to  leeward." 

He  went  into  the  cabin  and  fetched  out  a  small  axe  fast 
ened  in  the  companion  where  it  was  within  reach  of  the 
helmsman.  Two  blows  cut  the  shrouds  of  the  mizzen,  a 
few  vigorous  strokes  were  given  to  the  foot  of  the  mast, 
and,  as  the  boat  lifted  and  crashed  down  again  on  the  sand, 
it  broke  off  a  few  inches  above  the  deck. 

"  Now,  lads,  I  will  lash  you  loosely  to  this.     You  can 


112  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

both  swim,  and  with  what  aid  it  will  give  you  may  well 
reach  the  shore.  There  are  scarce  three  feet  of  water  here, 
and  except  where  one  or  two  deeps  pass  across  it  there  is 
no  more  anywhere  between  this  and  the  land.  It  will  not 
be  rough  very  far.  Now,  be  off  at  once  ;  the  boat  will  go 
to  pieces  before  many  minutes.  I  and  the  two  men  will 
take  to  the  mainmast,  but  I  want  to  see  you  off  first." 

Without  hesitation  the  boys  pushed  off  with  the  mast. 
As  they  did  so  a  cataract  of  water  poured  over  the  smack 
upon  them,  knocking  them  for  a  moment  under  the  sur  • 
face  with  its  force. 

For  the  next  few  minutes  it  was  a  wild  struggle  for  life. 
They  found  at  once  that  they  were  powerless  to  swim 
in  the  broken  water,  which,  as  it  rushed  across  the  sand, 
impelled  alike  by  the  rising  tide  behind  it  and  the  force  of 
the  wind,  hurried  them  along  at  a  rapid  pace,  breaking  in 
short  steep  waves.  They  could  only  cling  to  the  mast  and 
snatch  a  breath  of  air  from  time  to  time  as  it  rolled  over 
and  over.  Had  they  not  been  able  to  swim  they  would 
very  speedily  have  been  drowned  ;  but,  accustomed  as  they 
were  to  diving,  they  kept  their  presence  of  mind,  holding 
their  breath  when  under  water  and  breathing  whenever 
they  were  above  it  with  their  faces  to  the  land.  It  was 
only  so  that  they  could  breathe,  for  the  air  was  thick  with 
spray,  which  was  swept  along  with  such  force  by  the  wind 
that  it  would  have  drowned  the  best  swimmer  who  tried  to 
face  it  as  speedily  as  if  he  had  been  under  water. 

After  what  seemed  to  them  an  age  the  waves  became 
somewhat  less  violent,  though  still  breaking  in  a  mass  of 
foam.  Geoffrey  loosed  his  hold  of  the  spar  and  tried  to 
get  to  his  feet.  He  was  knocked  down  several  times  before 
he  succeeded,  but  when  he  did  so  found  that  £he  water  was 
little  more  than  two  feet  deep,  although  the  waves  rose  to 
his  shoulders.  The  soft  mud  under  his  feet  rendered  it 
extremely  difficult  to  stand,  and  the  rope  which  attached 
him  to  the  spar,  which  was  driving  before  him,  added  to 


THE  NEXT  FEW  MINUTES  IT  WAS  A  WILD  STRUGGLE  FOR  LIFE.— Pag*  xx* 
En*.  AM.] 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  113 

the  difficulty.  Ho  could  not  overtake  the  mast,  and  threw 
himself  down  again  and  swam  to  it. 

"  Get  up,  Lionel ! "  he  shouted  ;  "  we  can  stand  here." 
But  Lionel  was  too  exhausted  to  be  capable  of  making  the 
effort.  With  the  greatest  difficulty  Geoffrey  raised  him  to 
his  feet  and  supported  him  with  his  back  to  the  wind. 

"  Get  your  breath  again  !"  he  shouted.  "  We  are  over 
the  worst  now  and  shall  soon  be  in  calmer  water.  Get 
your  feet  well  out  in  front  of  you,  if  yon  can,  and  dig  your 
heels  into  the  mud,  then  you  will  act  as  a  buttress  to  me 
and  help  me  to  keep  my  feet." 

It  was  two  or  three  minutes  before  Lionel  was  able  to 
speak.  Even  during  this  short  time  they  had  been  carried 
some  distance  forward,  for  the  ground  on  which  they  stood 
seemed  to  be  moving,  and  the  force  of  the  waves  carried 
them  constantly  forward. 

"  Feel  better,  old  fellow  ?"  Geoffrey  asked,  as  he  felt 
Lionel  making  an  effort  to  resist  the  pressure  of  the 
water. 

"Yes,  I  am  better  now,"  Lionel  said. 

"  Well,  we  will  go  on  as  we  are  as  long  as  we  can  ;  let 
us  just  try  to  keep  our  feet  and  give  way  to  the  sea  as  it 
takes  us  along.  The  quicker  we  go  the  sooner  we  shall  be 
in  shallower  water ;  but  the  tide  is  rising  fast,  and  unless 
we  go  on  it  will  speedily  be  as  bad  here  as  it  was  where  we 
started." 

As  soon  as  Lionel  had  sufficiently  recovered  they  again 
took  to  the  spar ;  but  now,  instead  of  clasping  it  with  their 
arms  and  legs,  they  lay  with  their  chest  upon  it,  and  used 
their  efforts  only  to  keep  it  going  before  the  wind  and  tide. 
Once  they  came  to  a  point  where  the  sand  was  but  a  few 
inches  under  water.  Here  they  stood  up  for  some  minutes, 
and  then  again  proceeded  on  foot  until  the  water  deepened 
to  their  waists. 

Their  progress  was  now  much  more  easy,  for  the  high 

bank  had  broken  the  run  of  the  surf.      The  water  beyond 
8 


114  B  T  ENGLAND '  5  AID. 

it  was  much  smoother,  and  they  were  able  to  swim,  push 
ing  the  spar  before  thorn. 

•"'We  are  in.  deep  water,"  Geoffrey  said  presently,  drop 
ping  his  feet.  "It  is  out  of  1113-  depth.  Chambers  said 
there  was  a  deep  channel  across  the  sands  not  far  i'rorn  the 
island ;  so  in  that  case  the  shore  cannot  be  far  array.'*' 

In  another  quarter  of  an  hour  the  water  was  again  waist- 
deep.  Geoffrey  stood  up. 

•'  I  think  I  see  a  dark  line  ahead,  Lic:id  ;  we  shall  soon 
be  there." 

Another  ten  minutes  and  the  water  was  not  above  their 
knees.  They  could  see  the  low  shore  now  at  a  distance  of 
but  a  few  hundred  yards  ahead  and  untying  the  ropes 
under  their  arms  they  let  the  spar  drift  on,  and  waded  for 
ward  until  they  reached  the  hind.  There  was  a  long  mud 
bank  yet  to  cross,  and  exhausted  as  they  were  it  took  them 
a  long  time  to  do  this ;  but  at  last  they  came  to  a  sandy 
bank  rising  sharply  some  ten  feet  above  the  flat.  They 
threw  themselves  down  on  this  and  lay  for  half  an  hour 
without  a  word  being  spoken. 

"Now,  Lionel,"  Geoffrey  said  at  last,  raising  himself  to 
a  sitting  position,  "  we  must  make  an  effort  to  get  on  and 
find  a  shelter.  There  are  people  living  in  the  bland.  I 
have  heard  that  they  are  a  wild  set,  making  their  living  by 
the  wrecks  on  these  sands  and  by  smuggling  goods  without 
paying  dues  to  the  queen.  Still,  they  will  not  refuse  us 
shelter  and  food,  and  assuredly  there  is  nothing  on  us  to 
tempt  them  to  plunder  us." 

He  rose  to  his  feet  and  helped  Lionel  up.  Once  on  the 
top  of  the  bank  a  level  country  stretched  before  them. 
The  wind  aided  their  footsteps,  sweeping  along  with  such 
tremendous  force  that  at  times  they  had  difficulty  in  keep 
ing  their  feet.  As  they  went  on  they  came  upon  patches 
of  cultivated  land,  with  hedgerows  and  deep  ditches. 
Half  a  mile  further  they  perceived  a  house.  On  approach 
ing  it  they  saw  that  it  was  a  low  structure  of  some  size 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  115 

with  several  out-buildings.  They  made  their  way  to  it 
aud  knocked  :it  the  door.  They  knocked  twice  before  it 
was  opened,  then  some  bolts  were  withdrawn.  The  door 
was  opened  a  few  inches.  A  man  looked  out,  and  seeing 
two  lads  opened  it  widely. 

"  Well,  who  are  you,  and  what  do  you  want  ?  "  he  asked 
roughly. 

"  We  have  been  wrecked  in  a  storm  on  the  sands.  We 
were  sailing  from  Bricklesey  for  Sheerness  when  the  storm 
caught  us." 

The  man  looked  at  them  closely.  Their  pale  faces  and 
evidently  exhausted  condition  vouched  for  the  truth  of 
their  story. 

"  The  house  is  full,"  he  said  gruffly,  "  and  I  cannot  take 
in  strangers.  You  will  find  some  dry  hay  in  that  out 
house,  and  I  will  bring  you  some  food  there.  When  you 
have  eaten  and  drunk  you  had  best  journey  on." 

So  saying  he  shut  the  door  in  their  faces. 

"  This  is  strange  treatment,"  Geoffrey  said.  "I  should 
not  have  thought  a  man  would  have  refused  shelter  to  a 
dog  such  a  day  as  this.  What  do  you  say,  Lionel,  shall 
we  go  on  ?  " 

"I  don't  think  I  can  go  any  further  until  I  have  rested, 
Geoffrey,"  Lionel  replied  faintly.  "  Let  us  lie  down  in 
'shelter  if  it  is  only  for  half  an  hour.  After  that,  if  the 
man  brings  us  some  food  as  he  says,  we  can  go  on  again. " 

They  went  into  the  shed  the  man  had  pointed  out.  It 
was  half  full  of  hay. 

"Let  us  take  our  things  off  and  wring  them,  Lionel,  and 
give  ourselves  a  roll  in  the  hay  to  dry  ourselves.  We  shall 
soon  get  warm  after  that." 

They  stripped,  wrung  the  water  from  their  clothes,  rolled 
themselves  in  the  hay  until  they  felt  a  glow  of  returning 
warmth,  and  then  put  on  their  clothes  again.  Scarcely  had 
they  done  so  when  the  man  came  in  with  a  large  tankard 
and  two  hunks  of  bread. 


116  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

"  Here,"  he  said,  "  drink  this  and  then  be  off.  We  want 
no  strangers  hanging  round  here/' 

At  any  other  time  the  boys  would  have  refused  hospit 
ality  so  cheerlessly  offered,  but  they  were  too  weak  to  resist 
the  temptation.  The  tankard  contained  hot-spiced  ale, 
and  a  sensation  of  warmth  and  comfort  stole  over  them  as 
soon  as  they  had  drunk  its  contents  and  catena  few  mouth- 
f  uls  of  bread.  The  man  stood  by  them  while  they  ate. 

"  Are  you  the  only  ones  saved  from  the  wreck  ? "  he 
asked. 

"I  trust  that  we  are  not,"  Geoffrey  replied.  "The 
master  of  the  boat  tied  us  to  a  mast  as  soon  as  she  struck, 
and  he  and  the  two  men  with  him  were  going  to  try  to  get 
to  shore  in  the  same  way." 

As  soon  as  they  had  finished  they  stood  up  and  handed 
the  tankard  to  the  man. 

"  I  am  sorry  I  must  turn  you  out,"  he  said,  as  if  some 
what  ashamed  of  his  want  of  courtesy.  "  Any  other  day  it 
would  be  different,  but  to-day  I  cannot  take  anyone  in." 

"I  thank  you  for  what  you  have  given  us,"  Geoffrey 
said.  "  Can  you  tell  us  which  is  the  way  to  the  ferry  ?" 

"  Follow  the  road  and  it  will  take  you  there.  About  a 
couple  of  miles.  You  cannot  mistake  the  way." 

Feeling  greatly  strengthened  and  refreshed  the  lads  again 
started. 

"  This  is  a  curious  affair,"  Geoffrey  said,  "  and  I  cannot 
make  out  why  they  should  not  let  us  in.  However,  it  does 
not  matter  muck.  I  feel  warm  all  over  now,  in  spite  of  my 
wet  clothes." 

"  So  do  I,"  Lionel  agreed.  "  Perhaps  there  were  smug 
glers  inside,  or  some  fugitives  from  justice  hiding  there. 
Anyhow,  I  am  thankful  for  that  warm  ale  ;  it  seems  to  have 
given  me  new  life  altogether." 

They  had  walked  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  when  they  saw  four 
horsemen  coming  on  the  road  They  were  closely  wrapped 
up  in  cloaks,  and  as  they  passed,  with  their  heads  bent 


BY  ENGLAND* 9  AID.  117 

down  to  meet  the  force  of  the  gale  and  their  broad-brimmed 
hats  pulled  low  down  over  their  eyes,  the  boys  did  not  get 
fcven  a  glimpse  of  their  features. 

"  I  wonder  who  they  can  be/'  Geoffrey  said,  looking  after 
them.  "  They  are  very  well  mounted,  and  look  like  persons 
of  some  degree.  What  on  earth  can  they  be  doing  in  such 
a  wretched  place  as  this  ?  They  must  be  going  to  that 
house  we  left,  for  I  noticed  the  road  stopped  there." 

"  It  is  curious,  Geoffrey,  but  it  is  no  business  of  ours." 

"  I  don't  know  that,  Lionel.  You  know  there  are  all 
sorts  of  rumors  about  of  Papist  plots,  and  conspirators 
could  hardly  choose  a  more  out-of-the-way  spot  than  this 
to  hold  their  meetings.  I  should  not  be  at  all  surprised  if 
there  is  some  mischief  on  foot." 

Half  a  mile  further  three  men  on  foot  met  them,  and 
these  like  the  others,  were  closely  wrapped  up  to  the 
eyes. 

"  They  have  ridden  here,"  Geoffrey  said  after  they  had 
passed.  "  They  have  all  high  riding-boots  on  ;  they  must 
have  left  their  horses  on  the  other  side  of  the  ferry.  See, 
there  is  a  village  a  short  distance  ahead.  We  will  go  in 
there  and  dry  our  clothes  and  have  a  substantial  meal  if  we 
can  get  it.  Then  we  will  talk  this  business  over." 

The  village  consisted  of  a  dozen  houses  only,  but  among 
them  was  a  small  public  house.  Several  men  were  sitting 
by  the  fire  with  pots  of  ale  before  them. 

"  We  have  been  wrecked  on  the  coast,  landlord,  and  have 
barely  escaped  with  our  lives.  We  want  to  dry  our  clothes 
and  to  have  what  food  you  can  give  us." 

"I  have  plenty  of  eggs,"  the  landlord  said,  "and  my 
wife  will  fry  them  for  you  :  but  we  have  no  meat  in  the 
house.  Fish  and  eggs  are  the  chief  food  here.  You  aro 
lucky  in  getting  ashore,  for  it  is  a  terrible  gale.  It  is  years 
since  we  have  had  one  like  it.  As  to  drying  your  clothes, 
that  can  be  managed  easy  enough.  You  can  go  up  into 
my  room  and  take  them  off,  and  I  will  lend  you  a  couple  of 


118  BY  ENGLAND ' S  AID. 

blankets  to  wrap  yourselves  in,  and  you  can  sit  by  the  fir* 
here  until  your  things  are  dry." 

A  hearty  meal  of  fried  eggs  and  another  drink  of  hot  ale 
completed  the  restoration  of  the  boys.  Their  clothes  were 
speedily  dried,  for  the  landlady  had  just  finished  baking 
her  week's  batch  of  bread,  and  half  an  hour  in  the  oven 
completely  dried  their  clothes.  They  were  ready  almost 
as  soon  as  the  meal  was  finished.  Many  questions  were 
asked  them  as  to  the  wreck,  and  the  point  at  which  they 
had  been  cast  ashore. 

"  It  was  but  a  short  distance  from  a  house  at  the  end  of 
this  road,"  Geoffrey  said.  "  We  went  there  for  shelter, 
but  they  would  not  take  us  in,  though  they  gave  us  some 
bread  and  hot  ale." 

Exclamations  of  indignation  were  heard  among  the  men 
sitting  round. 

"Kalph  Hawker  has  the  name  of  being  a  surly  man," 
one  said,  "  but  I  should  not  have  thought  that  he  would 
have  turned  a  shipwrecked  man  from  his  door  on  such  a 
day  as  this.  They  say  he  is  a  Papist,  though  whether  he 
be  or  not  I  cannot  say  ;  but  he  has  strange  ways,  and  there 
is  many  a  stranger  passes  the  ferry  and  asks  for  his  house. 
However,  that  is  no  affair  of  mine,  though  I  hold  there  is 
no  good  in  secret  ways." 

'•'  That  is  so,"  another  said ;  "but  it  goes  beyond  all 
reason  for  a  man  to  refuse  shelter  to  those  the  sea  has  cast 
ashore  such  a  day  as  this. 

As  soon  as  they  had  finished  their  meal  and  again  dressed 
themselves,  the  lads  paid  their  reckoning  and  went  out. 
Scarcely  had  they  done  so  when  two  horsemen  rode  up,  and, 
drawing  rein,  inquired  if  they  were  going  right  for  the 
house  of  one  Ralph  Hawker. 

"It  lies  about  a  mile  on,"  Geoffrey  said.  "  You  cannot 
misci  the  way  ;  the  road  ends  there." 

As  he  spoke  a  gust  of  wind  of  extra  fury  blew  off  one  oi 
the  rider's  hats.  It  was  stopped  by  the  wall  of  a  house  a 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  US 

few  yards  away.  Geoffrey  caught  it  and  handed  it  to  the 
^horseman.  With  a  word  of  thanks  he  pressed  it  firmly  CL 
his  head,  and  the  two  men  rode  on. 

"Did  you  notice  that?"  Geoffrey  asked  his  brother. 
•'  He  has  a  shaven  spot  on  the  top  of  his  head.  The  man 
is  a  Papist  priest  in  disguise.  There  is  something  afoot, 
Lionel.  I  vote  that  we  try  and  get  to  the  bottom  of  it/' 

"  I  am  ready  if  you  think  so,  Geoffrey.  But  it  is  a  haz 
ardous  business,  you  know  ;  for  we  are  unarmed,  and  there 
are  we  know,  seven  or  eight  of  them  at  any  rate." 

' '  We  must  risk  that/'  Geoffrey  said  ;  "  besides,  we  can 
run  if  we  cannot  fight.  Let  us  have  a  try  whatever  comes 
of  it/' 


120  B  T  ENGLAND '  3 


CHAPTER  VII. 

A  POPISH    PLOT. 

THERE  was  no  one  about,  for  the  wind  was  blowing  with 
such  fury  that  few  cared  to  venture  out  of  doors,  and  th* 
boys  therefore  started  back  along  the  road  by  which  they 
had  come,  without  being  observed. 

"  We  had  better  strike  off  from  the  road,"  Geoffrey  said, 
"  for  some  more  of  these  men  may  be  coming  along.  Like 
enough  someone  will  be  on  the  watch  at  the  house,  so  we 
had  best  make  a  long  detour,  and  when  we  get  near  it 
come  down  on  it  from  the  other  side.  You  know  we  saw 
no  windows  there." 

"That  is  all  well  enough,"  Lionel  agreed;  "but  the 
question  is,  how  are  we  to  hear  what  they  are  saying  in 
side  ?  We  are  obliged  to  shout  to  catch  each  other's  words 
now,  and  there  is  not  the  least  chance  of  our  hearing  any 
thing  through  the  closed  shutters." 

"We  must  wait  till  we  get  there,  and  then  see  what  is 
to  be  done,  Lionel.  We  managed  to  detect  a  plot  at  Sluys, 
and  we  may  have  the  same  luck  here." 

After  half  an  hour's  brisk  walking  they  again  approached 
the  house  from  the  side  at  which  they  had  before  come 
upon  it,  and  where,  as  Geoffrey  observed,  there  were  no 
windows  ;  they  made  their  way  cautiously  up  to  it,  and 
then  moved  quietly  round  to  the  side.  Here  there  were 
two  windows  on  the  ground  floor.  The  shutters  were 
closed,  for  glass  was  unknown  except  in  the  houses  of  the 
comparatively  wealthy.  Its  place  was  taken  by  oiled 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  121 

paper,  and  this  in  bad  weather  was  protected  by  outei 
shutters.  Geoffrey  stole  out  a  few  paces  to  look  at  the 
•window  above. 

"  It  is  evidently  a  loft/'  he  said  as  he  rejoined  Lionel. 
"  You  can  see  by  the  roof  that  the  rooms  they  live  in  are 
entirely  upon  the  ground  floor.  If  we  can  get  in  there  we 
might  possibly  hear  what  is  going  on  below.  The  rooms 
are  not  likely  to  be  ceiled,  and  there  are  sure  to  be  cracks 
between  the  planks  through  which  we  can  see  what  is  go 
ing  on  below.  The  noise  of  the  wind  is  so  great  there  is 
little  chance  of  their  hearing  us.  Now,  let  us  look  about 
for  something  to  help  us  to  climb  up." 

Lying  by  an  out-house  close  by  they  found  a  rough 
ladder,  composed  of  a  single  pole  with  bits  of  wood  nailed 
on  to  it  a  foot  apart.  This  they  placed  up  against  the  door 
of  the  loft.  They  could  see  that  this  was  fastened  only  by 
a  hasp,  with  a  piece  of  wood  put  through  the  staple.  It 
had  been  arranged  that  Geoffrey  only  should  go  up,  Lionel 
removing  the  pole  when  he  entered,  and  keeping  watch 
behind  the  out-house  lest  anyone  should  come  round  the 
house.  Both  had  cut  heavy  sticks  as  they  came  along  to 
give  them  some  means  of  defense.  Lionel  stood  at  the 
pole,  while  Geoffrey  climbed  up,  removed  the  piece  of  wood 
from  the  staple,  and  then  holding  the  hasp  to  prevent  the 
wind  blowing  in  the  door  with  a  crash,  entered  the  loft. 
A  glance  showed  him  that  it  extended  over  the  whole  of 
the  house,  and  that  it  was  entirely  empty. 

He  closed  the  door  behind  him,  and  jammed  it  with  a 
couple  of  wedges  of  wood  he  had  cut  before  mounting ; 
then  he  lay  down  on  the  rough  planks  and  began  to  crawl 
along.  lie  saw  a  gleam  of  light  at  the  further  end,  and 
felt  sure  that  it  proceeded  from  the  room  in  which  the 
party  were  assembled.  Although  he  had  little  fear  of  be- 
iug  heard  owing  to  the  din  kept  up  by  the  wind,  he  moved 
along  with  extreme  care  until  he  reached  the  spot  whence 
the  light  proceeded.  As  he  had  anticipated,  it  was  caused 


1 22  B  T  ENGLAND '  S  A  ID. 

by  lights  in  a  room  below  streaming  through  the  cracks 
between  the  rough  planking. 

Rising  on  to  his  knees  he  looked  round,  and  then  crawled 
to  a  crack  that  appeared  much  wider  than  the  rest,  the 
boards  being  more  than  half  an  inch  apart.  Lying  down 
over  it,  he  was  able  to  obtain  a  view  of  a  portion  of  the 
room  below.  He  could  see  a  part  of  a  long  table,  and 
looked  down  upon  the  heads  of  five  men  sitting  on  one 
side  of  it.  He  now  applied  his  ears  to  the  crevice.  A  man 
was  speaking,  and  in  the  intervals  between  the  gusts  of 
wind  which  shook  the  house  to  its  foundation,  he  could 
hear  what  was  said. 

"  It  is  no  use  hesitating  any  longer,  the  time  for  action 
has  arrived — Jezebel  must  be  removed — interests  of  our 
holy  religion — little  danger  in  carrying  out  the  plan  that 
has  been  proposed.  Next  time — Windsor — road  passes 
through  wood  near  Datchet— a  weak  guard  overpowered — 
two  told  off  to  execute— free  England  from  tyranny — glory 
and  honor  throughout  Catholic  world.  England  dis 
organized  and  without  a  head  could  offer  no  resistance — as 
soon  as  day  fixed — meet  at  Staines  at  house  of — final  de 
tails  and  share  each  man  is  to — done,  scatter  through 
country,  readiness  for  rising — Philip  of  Spain — '' 

This  was  the  last  sentence  Geoffrey  caught,  for  when 
the  speaker  ceased  a  confused  and  general  talk  took  place, 
and  he  could  only  catch  a  word  here  and  there  without 
meaning  or  connection.  He  therefore  drew  quietly  back 
to  the  door  of  the  loft  and  opened  it.  He  thought  first  of 
jumping  straight  down,  but  in  that  case  he  could  not  have 
fastened  the  door  behind  him.  He  therefore  made  a  sign 
to  Lionel,  who  was  anxiously  peering  round  the  corner  of 
the  out-house.  The  pole  was  placed  into  position,  and 
pulling  the  door  after  him  and  refasteniug  the  latch  he 
made  his  way  down  to  the  ground,  replaced  the  pole  at 
the  place  from  which  they  had  taken  it,  and  then  retired 
in  the  direction  from  which  they  had  come. 


B  Y  ENGL^yi) '  S  AID.  123 

"  Well,  what  have  you  heard,  Geoffrey  ?  "  Lionel  asked. 
"  Was  it  worth  the  risk  you  have  run  ?" 
*  "  Well  worth  it,  Lionel.  I  could  only  hear  a  little  of 
wluit  was  said,  but  that  was  quite  enough  to  show  that  a 
plot  is  on  foot  to  attack  and  kill  the  queen  the  next  time 
she  journeys  to  Windsor.  The  conspirators  are  to  hide  in 
a  wood  near  Datchet." 

' '  You  don't  say  so,  Geoffrey.  That  is  important  news 
indeed.  What  are  we  to  do  next  ?  " 

*•"  I  have  not  thought  yet,"  Geoffrey  replied.  "  I  should 
say,  though,  our  best  plan  would  be  to  make  our  way  back 
as  quickly  as  we  can  by  Burnham  and  Maldon  round  to 
Hedingham.  The  earl  was  going  up  to  London  one  day  this 
week,  we  may  catch  him  before  he  starts  ;  if  not,  we  must, 
of  course,  follow  him.  But  at  any  rate  it  is  best  to  go 
home,  for  they  will  be  in  a  terrible  fright,  especially  if 
Joe  Chambers  or  one  of  the  men  take  the  news  to  Brick- 
lesey  of  the  loss  of  the  Susan,  for  it  would  be  quickly 
carried  up  to  Hedingham  by  John  Lirriper  or  one  or  other 
of  the  boatmen.  No  day  seems  to  be  fixed,  and  the  queen 
may  not  be  going  to  Windsor  for  some  little  time,  so  the 
loss  of  a  day  will  not  make  any  difference.  As  we  have 
money  in  our  pockets  we  can  hire  horses  at  Burnham  to 
take  us  to  Maldon,  and  get  others  there  to  carry  us  home." 

An  hour's  walking  took  them  to  the  ferry.  It  was  now 
getting  dusk,  and  they  had  come  to  the  conclusion  as  they 
walked  that  it  would  be  too  late  to  attempt  to  get  on  that 
night  beyond  Burnham.  The  storm  was  as  wild  as  ever, 
and  although  the  passage  was  a  narrrow  one  it  was  as  much 
as  the  ferryman  could  do  to  row  the  boat  across. 

"  How  far  is  it  from  here  to  Burnham  ?" 

(f  About  four  miles  ;  but  you  won't  get  to  Burnham  to 
night." 

"  How  is  that  ?"  Geoffrey  asked. 

"  You  may  get  as  far  as  the  ferry,  but  you  won't  get 
taken  over.  There  will  be  a  big  sea  in  the  Crouch,  for 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

the  wind  is  pretty  nigh  straight  up  it ;  but  you  will  be 
able  to  sleep  at  the  inn  this  side.  In  the  morning,  if  the 
wind  has  gone  down,  you  can  cross  ;  if  not,  you  will  have 
to  go  round  by  the  bridge,  nigh  ten  miles  higher  up." 

This  was  unpleasant  news.  Not  that  it  made  any  dif 
ference  to  them  whether  they  slept  on  one  side  of  the  river 
or  the  other,  but  if  the  wind  was  too  strong  to  admit  of  a 
passage  in  the  morning,  the  necessity  for  making  a  detour 
would  cost  them  many  hours  of  valuable  time.  There  was 
however,  no  help  for  it,  and  they  walked  to  Criksey  Ferry. 
The  little  inn  was  crowded,  for  the  ferry  had  been  stopped 
all  day,  and  many  like  themselves  had  been  compelled  to 
stop  for  a  lull  in  the  wind. 

Scarcely  had  they  entered  when  their  names  were  joy 
ously  shouted  out.  "  Ah,  Masters  Vickars,  right  glad  am 
I  to  see  you.  We  feared  that  surf  had  put  an  end  to  you. 
We  asked  at  the  ferry,  but  the  man  declared  that  no  strange 
lads  had  crossed  that  day,  and  we  were  fearing  we  should 
have  a  sad  tale  to  send  to  Hedingham  by  John  Lirriper." 

"  We  are  truly  glad  to  see  you,  Joe/'  Geoffrey  said,  as 
they  warmly  shook  Joe  Chambers  and  the  two  sailors  by 
the  hand.  "  flow  did  you  get  ashore  ?  " 

"  On  the  mainmast,  and  pretty  nigh  drowned  we  were 
before  we  got  there.  I  suppose  the  tide  must  have  taken 
us  a  bit  further  up  than  it  did  you,  We  got  here  well  nigh 
two  hours  ago,  though  we  got  a  good  meal  and  dried  our 
clothes  at  a  farmhouse." 

"  We  got  a  meal,  too,  soon  after  we  landed,"  Geoffrey 
said  ;  ''  but  we  did  not  dry  our  clothes  till  we  got  to  a 
little  village.  I  did  not  ask  its  name.  I  am  awfully  sorry> 
Joe,  about  the  Susan. 

•'  It  is  a  bad  job,  but  it  cannot  be  helped,  Master  Geof 
frey.  I  owned  a  third  of  her,  and  two  traders  at  Bricklesey 
own  the  other  shares.  Still  I  have  no  cause  to  grumble. 
I  have  laid  by  more  than  enough  in  the  last  four  years  to 
buy  a  share  in  another  boat  as  good  .as  she  was.  You  see, 


S  Y  ENGL AND '  3  AID.  125 

a  trader  ain't  like  a  smack.  A  trader's  got  only  hull  raid 
sails,  while  a  smack  has  got  her  nets  beside,  and  they  cost 
well  nigh  as  much  as  the  boat.  Thankful  enough  we  are 
that  we  have  all  escaped  with  our  lives ;  and  now  I  find 
you  are  safe  my  mind  feels  at  rest  over  it." 

"  Do  you  think  it  will  be  calm  enough  to  cross  in  the 
the  morning,  Joe  ?" 

"  Like  enough,"  the  sailor  replied  ;  "a  gale  like  this  is 
like  to  blow  itself  out  in  twenty-four  hours.  It  has  been 
the  worst  I  ever  saw.  It  is  not  blowing  now  quite  so  hard 
as  it  did,  and  by  the  morning  I  reckon,  though  there  may 
be  a  fresh  wind,  the  gale  will  be  over. 

The  number  of  travelers  were  far  too  great  for  the  ac 
commodation  of  the  inn  ;  and  with  the  exception  of  two  or 
three  of  the  first  arrivals  all  slept  on  some  hay  in  one  of 
the  barns. 

The  next  morning,  although  the  wind  was  still  strong, 
the  fury  of  the  gale  had  abated.  The  ferryman,  however, 
said  the  water  was  so  rough  he  must  wait  for  a  time  before 
they  crossed.  But  when  Geoffrey  offered  him  a  reward  to 
put  their  party  on  shore  at  once,  he  consented  to  do  so, 
Joe  Chambers  and  the  two  sailors  assisting  with  the  oars ; 
and  as  the  ferry-boat  was  large  and  strongly  built,  they 
crossed  without  further  inconvenience  than  the  wetting  of 
their  jackets. 

Joe  Chambers,  who  knew  the  town  perfectly,  at  once 
took  them  to  a  place  where  they  were  able  to  hire  a  couple 
of  horses,  and  on  these  rode  to  Maldon,  some  nine 
miles  away.  Here  they  procured  other  horses,  and  it  was 
not  long  after  midday  when  they  arrived  at  Hedingham. 

Mrs.  Vickars  held  up  her  hands  in  astonishment  at  their 
shrunken  garments  ;  but  her  relief  from  the  anxiety  she 
had  felt  concerning  what  had  befallen  them  during  the 
gale  was  so  great  that  she  was  unable  to  scold. 

"  We  will  tell  you  all  about  it,  mother,  afterwards/' 
Geoffrey  said,  as  he  released  himself  from  her  embrace- 


126  B  T  ENGLAND '  S  AID. 

"  We  have  had  a  great  adventure,  and  the  Susan  has  been 
wrecked.  But  this  is  not  the  most  important  matter. 
Father,  has  the  earl  started  yet  ? " 

"  He  was  to  have  gone  this  morning,  Geoffrey,  but  the 
floods  are  likely  to  be  out,  and  the  roads  will  be  in  such  a 
state  that  I  have  no  doubt  he  has  put  off  his  journey." 

"  It  is  important  that  we  should  see  him  at  once,  father. 
We  have  overheard  some  people  plotting  against  the  queen's 
life,  and  measures  must  be  taken  at  once  for  her  safety. 
We  will  run  up  and  change  our  things  if  you  will  go  with 
us  to  see  him.  If  you  are  there  he  will  see  you  whatever 
he  is  doing,  while  if  we  go  alone  there  might  be  delay/' 

Without  waiting  for  an  answer  the  boys  ran  upstairs  and 
quickly  returned  in  fresh  clothes.  Mr.  Vickars  was  wait 
ing  for  them  with  his  hat  on. 

"  You  are  quite  sure  of  what  you  are  saying,  Geoffrey  ?" 
he  observed  as  they  walked  towards  the  castle.  "  Remem 
ber,  that  if  it  should  turn  out  an  error,  you  are  likely  to 
come  to  sore  disgrace  instead  of  receiving  commendation 
for  your  interference.  Everyone  has  been  talking  of  plots 
against  the  queen  for  some  time,  and  you  may  well  have 
mistaken  the  purport  of  what  }rou  have  heard. " 

"  There  is  no  mistake,  father,  it  is  a  real  conspiracy, 
though  who  are  those  concerned  in  it  I  know  not.  Lionel 
and  I  are  not  likely  to  raise  a  false  alarm  about  nothing, 
as  you  will  say  yourself  when  you  hear  the  story  I  have  to 
tell  the  earl." 

They  had  by  this  time  entered  the  gates  of  the  castle. 
(r  The  earl  has  just  finished  dinner,"  one  of  the  attendants 
replied  in  answer  to  the  question  of  Mr.  Vickars. 

"  Will  you  tell  him  that  I  wish  to  see  him  on  urgent 
business  ?  " 

In  two  or  three  minutes  the  servant  returned  and  asked 
the  clergyman  to  follow  him.  The  earl  received  him  in 
his  private  chamber,  for  the  castle  was  full  with  guests. 

"  WAU,  dominie,  what  is  it  ?  "  he  asked.     "  You  want 


B  Y  ENGLAND '  S  AID.  127 

some  help,  I  will  be  bound,  for  somebody  ill  or  in  distress. 
I  know  pretty  well  by  this  time  the  meaning  of  your  nr- 
*gent  business. 

"  It  is  nothing  of  that  kind  to-day/'  the  clergyman  re 
plied,  "  it  is,  in  fact,  my,  sons  who  wish  to  see  your  lord 
ship.  I  do  not  myself  know  the  full  purport  of  their  story 
save  that  it  is  something  which  touches  the  safety  of  the 
queen." 

The  earl's  expression  at  once  changed. 

"  Is  that  so,  young  sirs  ?  This  is  a  serious  matter,  you 
know ;  it  is  a  grave  thing  to  bring  an  accusation  against 
anyone  in  matters  touching  the  state." 

"  I  am  aware  that  it  is,  my  lord,  and  assuredly  my 
brother  and  I  would  not  lightly  meddle  with  such  matters  ; 
but  I  think  that  you  will  say  this  is  a  business  that  should 
be  attended  to.  It  happened  thus,  sir."  He  then  briefly 
told  how,  that  being  out  in  a  ketch  that  traded  from  Brick- 
lesey,  they  were  caught  in  the  gale ;  that  the  vessel  was 
driven  on  the  sands,  and  they  were  cast  ashore  on  a  mast. 

He  then  related  the  inhospitable  reception  they  had  met 
with.  "  It  seemed  strange  to  us,  sir,  and  contrary  to 
nature,  that  anyone  should  refuse  to  allow  two  shipwrecked 
lads  to  enter  the  house  for  shelter  on  such  a  day  ;  and  it 
seemed  well-nigh  impossible  that  his  tale  of  the  place  being 
too  full  to  hold  us  could  be  true.  However,  we  started  to 
walk.  On  our  way  we  met  four  horsemen  going  towards 
the  house,  closely  muffled  up  in  cloaks." 

"  There  was  nothing  very  strange  in  that,"  the  earl  ob 
served,  "in  such  weather  as  we  had  yesterday." 

"  Nothing  at  all,  sir  ;  we  should  not  have  given  the  mat 
ter  one  thought  had  it  not  been  that  the  four  men  were 
very  well  mounted,  and,  apparently,  gentlemen  ;  and  it  was 
strange  that  such  should  have  business  in  an  out-of-the-way 
house  in  Foulness  Island.  A  little  further  we  met  three 
men  on  foot.  They  were  also  wrapped  up  in  oloaks  ;  but 
they  wore  high  riding-boots,  and  had  probably  left  their 


128  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

horses  on  the  other  side  of  the  ferry  so  as  not  to  attract 
attention.  A  short  time  afterwards  we  met  two  more  horse 
men,  one  of  whom  asked  us  if  he  was  going  right  for  the 
house  we  had  been  at.  As  he  was  speaking  a  gust  of  wind 
blew  oil  his  hat.  I  fetched  it  and  gave  it  to  him,  and  as  he 
stooped  to  put  it  on  I  saw  that  a  tonsure  was  shaven  on  the 
top  of  his  head.  The  matter  had  already  seemed  strange 
to  us ;  but  the  fact  that  one  of  this  number  of  men,  all 
going  to  a  lonely  house,  was  a  priest  in  disguise,  seemed  so 
suspicious  that  my  brother  and  myself  determined  to  try 
and  get  to  the  bottom  of  it." 

Geoffrey  then  related  how  they  had  gone  back  to  the 
house  and  effected  an  entrance  into  the  loft  extending 
over  it ;  how  he  had  through  the  cracks  in  the  boards  seen 
a  party  of  men  gathered  in  one  of  the  lower  rooms,  and 
then  repeated  word  for  Avord  the  scraps  of  conversation  that 
he  had  overheard. 

The  earl  had  listened  with  an  expression  of  amused  doubt 
to  the  early  portion  of  the  narrative ;  but  when  Geoffrey 
came  to  the  part  where  accident  had  shown  to  him  that 
one  of  these  men  proceeding  towards  this  house  was  a 
disguised  priest,  his  face  became  serious,  and  he  listened 
with  deep  attention  to  the  rest  of  the  narrative. 

"  Faith,"  he  said,  "  this  is  a  serious  matter,  and  you  have 
done  right  well  in  following  up  your  suspicions,  and  in 
risking  your  lives,  for  they  would  assuredly  have  killed  you 
had  they  discovered  you.  Mr.  Vickars,  your  sons  must 
ride  with  me  to  London  at  once.  The  matter  is  too  grave 
for  a  moment's  dolay.  I  must  lay  it  before  Burleigh  at 
once.  A  day's  delay  might  be  fatal. " 

He  rang  a  bell  standing  on  the  table.  As  soon  as  an 
attendant  answered  it  he  said,  "  Order  three  horses  to  be 
saddled  at  once  ;  I  must  ride  to  London  with  these  young 
gentlemen  without  delay.  Order  Parsons  and  Nichols  to 
be  ready  in  half  an  hour  to  set  out  with  us.  Have  you  had 
food,  young  sirs  ?  for  it  seems  you  came  hither  directly 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  129 

you  arrived."  Finding  that  the  boys  had  eaten  nothing 
Cilice  they  had  left  Maldon,  he  ordered  food  to  be  brought 
them,  and  begged  them  eat  it  while  he  explained  to  the 
countess  and  guests  that  sudden  business  that  could  not  be 
delayed  called  him  away  to  London.  Half  an  hour  later 
he  started  with  the  boys,  the  two  servants  following  behind. 
Late  that  evening  they  arrived  in  London.  It  was  too  late 
to  call  on  Lord  Burleigh  that  night  ;  but  early  the  next 
morning  the  earl  took  the  boys  with  him  to  the  house  of 
the  great  statesman.  Leaving  them  in  the  ante-chamber 
he  went  in  to  the  inner  apartment,  where  the  minister  Avas 
at  breakfast.  Ten  minutes  later  he  came  out,  and  called 
the  boys  in. 

"  The  Earl  of  Oxford  has  told  me  your  story/'  Lord  Bur 
leigh  said.  ""  Tell  it  me  again,  and  omit  nothing ;  for 
things  that  seem  small  are  often  of  consequence  in  a  mat 
ter  like  this." 

Geoffrey  again  repeated  his  story,  giving  full  details  of 
all  that  had  taken  place  from  the  time  of  their  first  reaching 
the  house. 

Lord  Burleigh  then  questioned  him  closely  as  to  whether 
they  had  seen  any  of  the  faces  of  the  men,  and  would 
recognize  them  again. 

"  I  saw  none  from  my  spying-place  above,  my  lord," 
Geoffrey  said.  "  I  could  see  only  the  tops  of  their  heads, 
and  most  of  them  still  kept  their  hats  on  ;  nor  did  we  see 
them  as  they  passed,  with  the  exception  only  of  the  man  I 
supposed  to  be  a  priest.  His  face  I  saw  plainly.  It  was 
smooth  shaven  ;  his  complexion  was  dark,  his  eyebrows 
were  thin  and  straight,  his  face  narrow.  I  should  take  him 
for  a  foreigner — either  a  Spaniard  or  Italian." 

Lord  Bnrleigh  made  a  note  of  this  description. 

"  Thanks,  young  sirs,"  he  said.  "I  shall,  of  course, 
take  measures  to  prevent  this  plot  being  carried  out,  and 
shall  inform  her  majesty  how  bravely  you  both  risked  your 
lives  to  discover  this  conspiracy  against  her  person.  The 


1 30  BY  ENGLAND ' 8  AID. 

Earl  of  Oxford  informs  me  that  you  are  pages  of  his  cousin. 
Captain  Francis  Vere,  a  very  brave  and  valiant  gentleman  ; 
and  that  you  bore  your  part  bravely  in  the  siege  oi'  Sluys, 
but  are  at  present  at  home  to  rest  after  your  labors  there, 
and  have  permission  of  Captain  Vere  to  take  part  in  any 
trouble  that  may  arise  here  owing  to  the  action  of  the  Span 
iards.  I  have  now  no  further  occasion  for  your  services, 
and  you  can  return  with  the  earl  to  Hedingham,  but  your 
attendance  in  London  will  be  needed  when  we  lay  hands 
upon  these  conspirators/' 

The  same  day  they  rode  back  to  lledingham,  but  ten  days 
later  were  again  summoned  to  London.  The  queen  had  the 
day  before  journeyed  to  Windsor.  Half  an  hour  before  she 
arrived  at  the  wood  near  Datchet  a  strong  party  of  her 
guard  had  suddenly  surrounded  it,  and  had  found  twelve 
armed  men  lurking  there.  These  had  been  arrested  and 
lodged  in  the  Tower.  Three  of  them  were  foreigners,  the 
rest  members  of  Catholic  families  known  to  be  favorable 
to  the  Spanish  cause.  Their  trial  was  conducted  privately, 
as  it  was  deemed  advisable  that  as  little  should  be  made  as 
possible  of  this  and  other  similar  plots  against  the  queen's 
life  that  were  discovered  about  this  time. 

Geoffrey  and  Lionel  gave  their  evidence  before  the  coun 
cil.  As  the  only  man  they  could  have  identified  was  not  of 
•  the  party  captured,  their  evidence  only  went  to  show  the 
motive  of  this  gathering  in  the  wood  near  Datchet.  The 
prisoners  stoutly  maintained  that  Geoffrey  had  misunder 
stood  the  conversation  he  had  partly  overheard,  and  that 
their  design  was  simply  to  make  the  queen  a  prisoner  and 
force  her  to  abdicate.  Three  of  the  prisoners,  who  had 
before  been  banished  from  the  countrj'  and  who  had  secretly 
returned,  were  sentenced  to  death  ;  two  of  the  others  to 
imprisonment  for  a  long  term  of  years,  the  rest  to  banish 
ment  from  England. 

After  the  trial  was  over  Lord  Burleigh  sent  for  the  boys, 
and  £*•"".  them  a  very  gracious  message  in  the  queen's 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  131 

name,  together  with  two  rings  in  token  of  her  majesty's 
gratitude.  Highly  delighted  with  these  honors  they  re 
turned  to  Hedingham,  and  devoted  themselves  even  mor-i 
assiduously  than  before  to  exercises  in  arms,  in  order  that 
they  might  some  day  prove  themselves  valiant  soldiers  of 
the  queen. 


132  S  Y  ENGLAND '  8  AID. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  SPANISH  ARMADA. 

THE  struggle  that  was  at  hand  between  Spain  and  Eng 
land  had  long  been  foreseen  as  inevitable.  The  one  power 
was  the  champion  of  Roman  Catholicism,  the  other  of 
Protestantism  ;  and  yet,  although  so  much  hung  upon  the 
result  of  the  encounter,  and  all  Europe  looked  on  with 
the  most  intense  interest,  both  parties  entered  upon  the 
struggle  without  allies,  and  this  entirely  from  the  personal 
fault  of  the  sovereigns  of  the  two  nations. 

Queen  Elizabeth,  by  her  constant  intrigues,  her  under 
hand  dealings  with  France  and  Spain,  her  grasping  policy 
in  the  Netherlands,  her  meanness  and  parsimony,  and  the 
fact  that  she  was  ready  at  any  moment  to  sacrifice  the  Neth 
erlands  to  her  own  policy,  had  wholly  alienated  the  people  of 
the  Low  Country  ;  for,  while  their  own  efforts  for  defense 
were  paralyzed  by  the  constant  interference  of  Elizabeth, 
no  benefit  was  obtained  from  the  English  army,  whose 
orders  were  to  stand  always  on  the  defensive — the  queen's 
only  anxiety  appearing  to  be  to  keep  her  grasp  upon  the 
towns  that  had  been  handed  over  to  her  as  the  price  of  her 
alliance. 

Her  own  counselors  were  driven  to  their  wits'  end  by 
her  constant  changes  of  purpose.  Her  troops  were  starv 
ing  and  in  rags  from  her  parsimony,  the  fleet  lay  dis 
mantled  and  useless  from  want  of  funds,  and  except  such 
arming  and  drilling  as  took  place  at  the  expense  of  the 
nobles,  counties,  and  cities,  no  preparation  whatever  was 
made  to  meet  the  coming  storm.  Upon  the  other  hand, 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  133 

Philip  of  Spain,  who  might  have  been  at  the  head  of  a 
great  Catholic  league  against  England,  had  isolated  him 
self  by  his  personal  ambitions.  Had  he  declared  himself 
ready,  in  the  event  of  his  conquest  of  England,  to  place 
James  of  Scotland  upon  the  throne,  he  would  have  had 
Scotland  with  him,  together  with  the  Catholics  of  Eng 
land,  still  a  powerful  and  important  body. 

France,  too,  would  have  joined  him,  and  the  combina 
tion  against  Elizabeth  and  the  Protestants  of  England 
would  have  been  well-nigh  irresistible.  But  this  he  could 
not  bring  himself  to  do.  His  dream  was  the  annexation 
of  England  to  Spain  ;  and  smarting  as  the  English  Catho 
lics  were  under  the  execution  of  Mary  of  Scotland,  their 
English  spirit  revolted  against  the  idea  of  the  rule  of 
Spain,  and  the  great  Catholic  nobles  hastened,  when 
the  moment  of  danger  arrived,  to  join  in  the  defense  of 
their  country,  while  Scotland,  seeing  no  advantage  to  be 
gained  in  the  struggle,  stood  sullenly  aloof,  and  France 
gave  no  aid  to  a  project  which  was  to  result,  if  successful, 
in  the  aggrandizement  of  her  already  dangerously  formid 
able  neighbor. 

Thus  England  and  Spain  stood  alone — Philip  slowly  but 
steadily  preparing  for  the  great  expedition  for  the  con 
quest  of  England,  Elizabeth  hesitating,  doubtful ;  at  one 
moment  gathering  seamen  and  arming  her  fleet,  a  month 
or  two  later  discharging  the  sailors  and  laying  up  the 
ships. 

In  the  spring  of  1587,  Drake,  with  six  vessels  belonging 
to  the  Crown  and  twenty-four  equipped  by  merchants  of 
London  and  other  places,  had  seized  a  moment  when  Eliza 
beth's  fickle  mind  had  inclined  to  warlike  measures,  and 
knowing  that  the  mood  might  last  but  a  day,  had  slipped 
out  of  Plymouth  and  sailed  for  Spain  a  few  hours  before  a 
messenger  arrived  with  a  peremptory  order  from  Elizabeth 
against  entering  any  Spanish  port  or  offering  violence  to 
any  Spanish  town  or  ships.  Although  caught  in  a  ga>lp  m 


134  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

the  Channel,  Drake  held  on,  and,  reaching  Gibraltar  ou  the 
IGth  April,  ascertained  that  Cadiz  was  crowded  with  trans 
ports  and  store-ships. 

Vice-Admiral  Burroughs,  controller  of  the  navy,  who 
had  been  specially  appointed  to  thwart  Drake's  plans,  op 
posed  any  action  being  taken ;  but  Drake  insisted  upon 
attack,  and  on  the  19th  the  fleet  stood  into  Cadiz  harbor. 
Passing  through  the  fire  of  the  batteries,  they  sank  the 
only  great  ship  of  war  in  the  roads,  drove  off  the  Spanish 
galleys,  and  seized  the  vast  fleet  of  store-ships  loaded  with 
wine,  corn,  and  provisions  of  all  sorts  for  the  use  of  the 
Armada.  Everything  of  value  that  could  be  conveniently 
moved  was  transferred  to  the  English  ships,  then  the 
Spanish  vessels  were  set  on  fire,  their  cables  cut,  and  they 
were  left  to  drift  an  entangled  mass  of  flame.  Drake  took 
a  number  of  prisoners,  and  sent  a  messenger  on  shore  pro 
posing  to  exchange  them  for  such  English  seamen  as  were 
prisoners  in  Spain.  The  reply  was  there  were  no  English 
prisoners  in  Spain  ;  and  as  this  was  notoriously  untrue,  it 
was  agreed  in  the  fleet  that  all  the  Spaniards  they  might 
take  in  the  future  should  be  sold  to  the  Moors,  and  the 
money  reserved  for  the  redeeming  of  such  Englishmen  as 
might  be  in  captivity  there  or  elsewhere. 

The  English  fleet  then  sailed  for  Cape  St.  Vincent,  pick 
ing  up  on  their  way  large  convoys  of  store-ships  all  bound 
for  the  Tagus,  where  the  Armada  was  collecting.  These 
were  all  burned,  and  Drake  brought  up  at  Cape  St.  Vin 
cent,  hoping  to  meet  there  a  portion  of  the  Armada  ex 
pected  from  the  Mediterranean.  As  a  harbor  was  neces 
sary,  he  landed,  stormed  the  fort  at  Faro,  and  took  posses 
sion  of  the  harbor  there.  The  expected  enemy  did  not 
appear,  and  Drake  sailed  up  to  the  mouth  of  the  Tagus, 
intending  to  go  into  Lisbon  and  attack  the  great  Spanish 
fleet  lying  there  under  its  admiral,  Santa  Cruz. 

That  the  force  gathered  there  was  enormous  Drake  well 
knew,  but  relying  as  much  on  the  goodness  of  his  cause 


B  T  ENGLAND '  S  AID.  135 

as  on  the  valor  of  his  sailors,  aiid  upon  the  fact  that  the 
enemy  would  be  too  crowded  together  to  fight  with  advan 
tage,  he  would  have  carried  out  his  plan  had  not  a  ship 
arrived  from  England  with  orders  forbidding  him  to  enter 
the  Tagus.  However,  he  lay  for  some  time  at  the  mouth 
of  the  river,  destroying  every  ship  that  entered  its  mouth, 
and  sending  in  a  challenge  to  Santa  Cruz  to  come  out  and 
fight.  The  Spanish  admiral  did  not  accept  it,  and  Drake 
then  sailed  to  Corunna,  and  there,  as  at  Cadiz,  destroyed 
all  the  ships  collected  in  the  harbor  and  then  returned  to 
England,  having  in  the  course  of  a  few  months  inflicted 
an  enormous  amount  of  damage  upon  Spain,  and  having 
taken  the  first  step  to  prove  that  England  was  the  mistress 
of  the  sea. 

But  while  the  little  band  of  English  had  been  defending 
Sluys  against  the  army  of  the  Duke  of  Parma,  Philip  had 
been  continuing  his  preparations,  filling  up  the  void  made 
by  the  destruction  wrought  by  Drake,  and  preparing  an 
Armada  which  he  might  well  have  considered  to  be  invin 
cible.  Elizabeth  was  still  continuing  her  negotiation 
She  was  quite  ready  to  abandon  the  Netherlands  to  Spain 
if  she  could  but  keep  the  towns  she  held  "here,  bu'  she 
could  not  bring  herself  to  hand  these  over  either  to  the 
Netherlands  or  to  Spain.  She  urged  the  States  to  make 
peace;  to  which  they  replied  that  they  did  not  wish  for 
peac:  o"  such  terms  as  Spain  would  alone  grant  ;  they  could 
defend  themselves  for  ten  years  longer  if  left  alone  ;  they 
did  not  ask  for  further  help,  and  only  wanted  their  towns 
restored  to  them. 

Had  the  Armada  started  as  Philip  intended  in  Septem 
ber,  it  would  have  found  England  entirely  unprepared,  for 
Elizabeth  still  obstinately  refused  to  believe  in  danger,  and 
the  few  ships  that  had  been  held  in  commissiou  after 
Drake's  return  had  been  so  long  neglected  that  they  could 
hardly  keep  the  sea  without  repair  ;  the  rest  lay  uiHgged 
in  the  Medway.  But  the  delay  gave  England  fresh  time 


136  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

for  preparation.  Parma's  army  was  lying  in  readiness  for 
the  invasion  under  canvas  at  Dunkirk,  and  their  com 
mander  had  received  no  information  from  Spain,  that  the 
sailing  of  the  Armada  was  delayed. 

The  cold,  wet,  and  exposure  told  terribly  upon  them, 
and  of  the  30,000  who  were  ready  to  embark  in  September 
not  18,000  were  fit  for  service  at  the  commencement  of  the 
year.  The  expenses  of  this  army  and  of  the  Armada  were 
so  great  that  Philip  was  at  last  driven  to  give  orders  to 
the  Armada  to  start.  But  fortune  again  favored  England. 
Ilad  the  fleet  sailed  as  ordered  on  the  30th  of  January  they 
would  again  have  found  the  Channel  undefended,  for 
Elizabeth,  in  one  of  her  fits  of  economy,  had  again  dis 
mantled  half  the  fleet  that  had  been  got  ready  for  sea,  and 
sent  the  sailors  to  their  homes. 

But  the  execution  of  Philip's  orders  was  prevented  by 
the  sudden  death  of  Santa  Cruz.  The  Duke  of  Medina- 
Sidonia  was  appointed  his  successor,  but  as  he  knew  nothing 
of  the  state  of  the  Armada  fresh  delays  became  necessary, 
and  the  time  was  occupied  by  Elizabeth,  not  in  preparing 
for  the  defense  of  the  country,  but  in  fresh  negotiations 
for  peace.  Sbo  was  rea»..y  to  make  any  concessions  to 
Spain,  but  Philip  was  now  only  amusing  himself  by  de 
ceiving  her.  Everything  was  now  prepared  for  the  ex 
pedition,  and  just  as  the  fleet  was  ready  to  start,  the 
negotiations  were  broken  off.  But  though  Elizabeth's 
government  had  made  no  preparations  for  the  defense  of 
the  country,  England  herself  had  not  been  idle.  Through 
out  the  whole  country  men  had  been  mustered,  officered, 
and  armed,  and  100,000  were  ready  to  move  as  soon  as  the 
danger  became  imminent. 

The  musters  of  the  Midland  counties,  30,000  strong, 
were  to  form  a  separate  army,  and  were  to  march  at  once 
to  a  spot  between  Windsor  and  Harrow.  The  rest  were 
to  gather  at  the  point  of  danger.  The  coast  companies 
were  to  fall  back  wherever  the  enemy  landed,  burning  the 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  137 

corn  and  driving  off  the  cattle,  and  avoiding  a  battle  until 
the  force  of  the  neighboring  counties  joined  them. 
Should  the  lauding  take  place  as  AVUS  expected  in  Suffolk, 
Kent,  or  Sussex,  it  was  calculated  that  between  30,000  and 
40,000  men  would  bar  the  way  to  the  invaders  before  they 
reached  London,  while  20,000  men  of  the  western  coun 
ties  would  remain  to  encounter  the  Duke  of  Guise,  who 
had  engaged  to  bring  across  an  army  of  Frenchmen  to  aid 
the  Spaniards. 

Spain  although  well  aware  of  the  strength  of  England 
on  the  sea,  believed  that  she  would  have  no  difficulty  with 
the  raw  English  levies  ;  but  Parma,  who  had  met  the 
English  at  Sluys,  had  learnt  to  respect  their  righting  qua 
lities,  and  in  a  letter  to  Philip  gave  the  opinion  that  even 
if  the  Armada  brought  him  a  reinforcement  of  6000  men 
he  would  still  have  an  insufficient  force  for  the  conquest 
of  England.  He  said.  "  When  I  shall  have  landed  I  must 
fight  battle  after  battle.  I  shall  lose  men  by  wounds  and 
disease,  I  must  leave  detachments  behind  me  to  keep  open 
my  communications,  and  in  a  short  time  the  body  of  my 
army  will  become  so  weak  that  not  only  I  may  be  unable 
to  advance  in  the  face  of  the  enemy,  and  time  may  be 
given  to  the  heretics  and  your  majesty's  other  enemies  to 
interfere,  but  there  may  fall  out  some  notable  incon 
venience,  with  the  loss  of  everything  and  I  be  unable  to 
remedy  it." 

Unfortunately,  the  English  fleet  was  far  less  prepared 
than  the  land  forces.  The  militia  had  been  easily  and 
cheaply  extemporized,  but  a  fleet  can  only  be  prepared  by 
long  and  painful  sacrifices.  The  entire  English  navy  con 
tained  but  thirteen  ships  of  over  four  hundred  tons,  and 
including  small  cutters  and  pinnaces  there  were  but  thirty- 
eight  vessels  of  all  sorts  and  sizes  carrying  the  queen's 
flag  Fortunately,  Sir  John  Hawkins  was  at  the  head  of 
the  naval  administration,  and  in  spite  of  the  parsimony  of 
Elizabeth  had  kept  the  fleet  in  a  good  state  of  repair  and 


138  S  Y  ENGLAND ' 5  ALD. 

equipment.  The  merchant  navy,  although  numerous, 
•vva-3  equally  deficient  in  vessels  of  any  size. 

Piiiiiij  had  encouraged  shipbuilding  in  Spain  by  grants 
from  the  crown,  allowing  four  ducats  a  ton  for  every  ship 
built  of  above  three  hundred  tons  burden,  and  six  ducats 
a  ton  for  every  one  above  five  hundred  tons.  Thus  he 
had  a  large  supply  of  great  ships  to  draw  upon  in  addition 
to  those  of  the  royal  navy,  while  in  England  the  largest 
vessels  belonging  to  private  owners  did  not  exceed  four 
hundred  tons,  and  there  were  not  more  than  two  or  three 
vessels  of  that  size  sailing  from  any  port  of  the  country. 
The  total  allowance  by  the  queen  for  the  repair  of  the 
whole  of  the  royal  navy,  wages  of  shipwrights,  clerks, 
carpenters,  watchmen,  cost  of  timber,  and  all  other  neces 
sary  dockyard  expenses,  was  but  £4000  a-year. 

Ill  December  the  fleet  was  ready  for  sea,  together  with 
the  contingent  furnished  by  the  liberality  and  patriotism 
of  the  merchants  and  citizens  of  the  great  ports.  But  as 
soon  as  it  was  got  together  half  the  crews  collected  and 
engaged  at  so  great  an  expense  were  dismissed,  the  mer 
chant  ships  released,  and  England  open  to  invasion,  and 
had  Parma  started  in  the  vessels  he  had  prepared,  Lord 
Howard,  who  commanded  the  English  navy,  could  not 
have  fired  a  shot  to  have  prevented  his  crossing. 

Well  might  Sir  John  Hawkins  in  his  despair  at  Eliza 
beth's  caprices  exclaim  :  "  We  are  wasting  money,  wast 
ing  strength,  dishonoring  and  discrediting  ourselves  by 
our  uncertain  dallying."  But  though  daily  reports  camr> 
from  Spain  of  the  readiness  of  the  Armada  to  set  sail, 
Elizabeth,  even  when  she  again  permitted  the  navy  to  be 
manned,  fettered  it  by  allowing  it  to  be  provided  with  rations 
for  only  a  month  at  a  time,  and  permitting  no  reserves  to 
be  provided  in  the  victualling  stores  ;  while  the  largest 
vessels  were  supplied  with  ammunition  for  only  a  day  and 
a  half's  service,  and  the  rest  of  the  fleet  with  but  enough 
for  one  day's  service.  The  council  could  do  nothing,  and 


LY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  139 

Lord  Howard/a  letters  prove  that  the  queen,  and  she  only, 
was  responsible  for  the  miserable  state  of  things  that  pre 
vailed. 

At  last,  in  May,  Lord  Howard  sailed  with  the  fleet  do\vn 
Channel,  leaving  Lord  Henry  Seymour  with  three  men-of- 
war  and  a  squadron  of  privateers  to  watch  Dunkirk.  At 
Plymouth  the  admiral  found  Drake  with  forty  ships,  all 
except  one  raised  and  sent  to  sea  at  the  expense  of  himself 
and  the  gentry  and  merchants  of  the  west  counties.  The 
weather  was  wild,  as  it  had  been  all  the  winter.  Howard 
with  the  great  ships  lay  at  anchor  ia  the  Sound,  rolling 
heavily,  while  the  smaller  craft  went  for  shelter  into  the 
mouth  of  the  river.  There  were  but  eighteen  days'  pro 
visions  on  board  ;  fresh  supplies  promised  did  not  arrive, 
and  the  crews  were  put  on  half  rations,  and  eked  these 
out  by  catching  fish.  At  last,  when  the  supplies  were  just 
exhausted,  the  victualling  ships  arrived  with  one  month's 
fresh  rations,  and  a  message  that  no  more  would  be  sent. 
So  villainous  was  the  quality  of  the  stores  that  fever  broke 
out  in  the  fleet. 

It  was  not  until  the  end  of  the  month  that  Elizabeth 
would  even  permit  any  further  preparations  to  be  made, 
and  the  supplies  took  some  time  collecting.  The  crews 
would  have  been  starved  had  not  the  officers  so  divided  the 
rations  as  to  make  them  last  six  weeks.  The  men  died  in 
scores  from  dysentery  brought  on  by  the  sour  and  poison- 
uous  beer  issued  to  them,  r.nd  Howard  and  Drake  ordered 
wine  and  arrow-root  from  the  town  for  the  use  of  the  sick, 
and  had  to  pay  for  it  from  their  own  pockets. 

But  at  last  the  Armada  was  rjady  for  starting.  Contin 
gents  of  Spanish,  Italians,  and  Portuguese  were  gathered 
together  with  the  faithful  from  all  countries — Jesuits  from 
France  ;  exiled  priests,  Irish  and  English  ;  and  many 
Catholic  Scotch,  English,  and  Irish  noblemen  and  gentle 
men.  The  six  squadrons  into  which  the  fleet  was  divided 
contained  sixty-five  large  war  ships,  the  smallest  of  which 


140  BY  ENGLAND ' 8  AID. 

was  seven  hundred  tons.  Seven  were  over  one  thousand, 
and  the  largest,  an  Italian  ship,  La  Regazona,  was  thirteen 
hundred.  All  were  built  high  like  castles,  their  upper 
works  musket-proof,  their  main  timbers  four  or  five  feet 
thick,  and  of  a  strength  it  was  supposed  no  English  cannon 
could  pierce. 

Next  to  the  big  ships,  or  galleons  as  they  were  called, 
were  four  galleasses,  each  carrying  fifty  guns  and  450  sol 
diers  and  sailors,  and  rowed  by  300  slaves.  Besides 
these  were  four  galleys,  fifty-six  great  armed  merchant 
ships,  the  finest  Spain  possessed,  and  twenty  caravels  or 
small  vessels.  Thus  the  fighting  fleet  amounted  to  129 
vessels,  carrying  in  all  2430  cannon.  On  board  was  stored 
an  enormous  quantity  of  provisions  for  the  use  of  the  army 
after  it  landed  in  England,  there  being  sufficient  to  feed 
40,000  men  for  six  months. 

There  were  on  board  8000  sailors,  19,000  soldiers,  1000 
gentlemen  volunteers,  600  priests,  servants,  and  miscellan 
eous  officers,  and  2000  galley  slaves.  This  was  indeed  a 
tremendous  array  to  meet  the  fleet  lying  off  Plymouth,  con 
sisting  of  29  queen's  ships  of  all  sizes,  10  small  vessels  be 
longing  to  Lord  Howard  and  members  of  his  family,  and 
43  privateers  between  40  and  400  tons  under  Drake,  the 
united  crews  amounting  to  something  over  9000  men. 

The  winter  had  passed  pleasantly  to  Geoffrey  and  Lionel 
Vickars  ;  the  earl  had  taken  a  great  fancy  to  them,  and 
they  had  stayed  for  some  time  in  London  as  members  of  his 
suite.  When  the  spring  came  they  had  spoken  about  re 
joining  Francis  Yere  in  Holland,  but  the  earl  had  said  that 
there  was  little  doing  there.  The  enmity  excited  by  the 
conduct  of  Elizabeth  prevented  any  co-operation  between 
the  Dutch  and  English  ;  and  indeed  the  English  force  was 
reduced  to  such  straits  by  the  refusal  of  the  queen  to  fur 
nish  money  for  their  pay,  or  to  provide  funds  for  even  ab 
solute  necessaries,  that  it  was  wholly  incapable  of  taking  the 
field,  and  large  numbers  of  the  men  returned  to  England. 


B  Y  ENGLAND '  S  AID.  141 

Had  mis  treatment  of  her  soldiers  and  sailors  at  the 
time  when  such  peril  threatened  their  country  been  occa 
sioned  by  want  of  funds,  some  excuse  would  have  been  pos 
sible  for  the  conduct  of  Elizabeth  ;  but  at  the  time  there 
were  large  sums  lying  in  the  treasury,  and  it  was  parsi 
mony  and  not  incapacity  to  pay  that  actuated  Elizabeth  in 
i;he  course  she  pursued. 

As  the  boys  were  still  uneasy  as  to  the  opinion  Francis 
Vere  might  form  of  their  continued  stay  in  England,  they 
wrote  to  him,  their  letter  being  inclosed  in  one  from  the 
earl  ;  but  the  reply  set  their  minds  at  rest — "  By  all  means 
stay  in  England/'  Captain  Vere  wrote,  "since  there  is 
nothing  doing  here  of  any  note  or  consequence,  nor  likely 
to  be.  We  are  simply  idling  out  time  in  Bergen-op- 
Zoom,  and  not  one  of  us  but  is  longing  to  be  at  home  to 
bear  his  part  in  the  events  pending  there.  It  is  hard,  in 
deed,  to  be  confined  in  this  miserable  Dutch  town  while 
England  is  in  danger.  Unfortunately  we  are  soldiers  and 
must  obey  orders  ;  but  as  you  are  as  yet  only  volunteers, 
free  to  act  as  you  choose,  it  would  be  foolish  in  the  ex 
treme  for  you  to  come  over  to  this  dull  place  while  there  is 
so  much  going  on  in  England.  I  have  written  to  my 
cousin,  asking  him  to  introduce  you  to  some  of  the  country 
gentlemen  who  have  fitted  out  a  ship  for  service  against 
the  Spaniards,  so  that  you  may  have  a  hand  in  what  is  go 
ing  on/' 

This  the  earl  had  done,  and  early  in  May  they  had 
journeyed  down  to  Plymouth  on  horseback  with  a  party  of 
other  gentlemen  who  were  going  on  board  the  Active,  a  ves 
sel  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  tons  belonging  to  a  gentleman 
of  Devonshire,  one  Master  Audrey  Drake  a  relation  of 
Sir  Francis  Drake.  The  earl  himself  was  with  the  party. 
He  did  not  intend  to  go  on  board,  for  he  was  a  bad  sailor  ; 
and  though  ready,  as  he  said,  to  do  his  share  of  fighting 
upon  land,  would  be  only  an  encumbrance  on  board  a  ship. 

He  went  down  principally  at  the  request  of  Cecil  and 


142  £  F  ENGLAND '  -S  AID. 

other  members  of  the  council,  who,  knowing  that  he  was 
a  favorite  of  the  queen,  thought  that  hig  representations 
as  to  the  state  of  the  fleet  might  do  more  than  they  could 
do  to  influence  her  to  send  supplies  to  the  distressed  sailors. 
The  earl  visited  the  ships  lying  in  the  mouth  of  the  Tamar, 
and  three  times  started  in  a  boat  to  go  out  to  those  in  the 
Sound  ;  but  the  sea  was  so  rough,  and  he  was  so  completely 
prostrated  by  sickness,  that  he  had  each  time  to  put  back. 
What  he  saw,  however,  on  board  the  ships  he  visited,  and 
heard  from  Lord  Howard  as  to  the  state  of  those  at  sea, 
was  quite  sufficient.  He  at  once  expended  a  considerable 
amount  of  money  in  buying  wine  and  fresh  meat  for  the 
sick,  and  then  hurried  away  to  London  to  lay  before  the 
queen  the  result  of  his  personal  observations,  and  to  im 
plore  her  to  order  provisions  to  be  immediately  despatched 
to  the  fleet. 

But  even  the  description  given  by  one  of  her  favorites 
of  the  sufferings  of  the  seamen  was  insufficient  to  induce 
the  queen  to  open  her  purse-strings,  and  the  earl  left  her 
in  great  dudgeon  ;  and  although  his  private  finances  had 
been  much  straitened  by  his  extravagance  and  love  of  dis 
play,  he  at  once  chartered  a  ship,  filled  her  with  provisions, 
and  despatched  her  to  Plymouth. 

Mr.  Drake  and  the  gentlemen  with  him  took  up  their 
abode  in  the  town  until  there  should  be  need  for  them  to  go 
on  board  the  Active,  where  the  accommodation  was  much 
cramped,  and  life  by  no  means  agreeable  ;  and  the  Vickars 
therefore  escaped  sharing  the  sufferings  of  those  on  board 
ship. 

At  the  end  of  May  came  the  news  that  the  Armada  had 
sailed  on  the  19th,  and  high  hopes  were  entertained  that 
the  period  of  waiting  had  terminated.  A  storm,  however, 
scattered  the  great  fleet,  and  it  was  not  until  the  12th  of 
July  that  they  sailed  from  the  Bay  of  Ferrol,  where  they 
had  collected  after  the  storm. 

Never  was  there  known  a  season  so  boisterous  as  the 


B  Y  ENGLAND '  5  AID.  143 

summer  of  1588,  and  when  off  Ushant,  in  a  southwest 
gale,  four  galleys  were  wrecked  on  the  French  coast,  and 
the  Santa  Anna,  a  galleon  of  800  tons,  went  down,  carry 
ing  with  her  ninety  seamen,  three  hundred  soldiers,  and 
50,000  ducats  in  gold. 

After  two  days  the  storm  abated,  and  the  fleet  again  pro 
ceeded.  At  daybreak  on  the  20th  the  Lizard  was  in  sight, 
and  an  English  fishing-boat  was  seen  running  along  their 
line.  Chase  was  given,  but  she  soon  out-sailed  her  pur 
suers,  and  carried  the  news  to  Plymouth.  The  Armada 
had  already  been  made  out  from  the  coast  the  night  before, 
and  beacon  lights  had  flashed  the  news  all  over  England. 
In  every  village  and  town  men  were  arming  and  saddling 
and  marching  away  to  the  rendezvous  of  the  various  corps. 

la  Plymouth  the  news  was  received  with  the  greatest  re 
joicing.  Thanks  to  the  care  with  which  the  provisions 
had  been  husbanded,  and  to  the  manner  in  which  the  of- 
licers  and  volunteers  had  from  their  private  means  supple 
mented  the  scanty  stores,  there  was  still  a  week's  provisions 
on  board,  and  this,  it  was  hoped,  would  suffice  for  their 
needs.  The  scanty  supply  of  ammunition  was  a  greater 
source  of  anxiety  ;  but  they  hoped  that  fresh  supplies 
would  be  forthcoming,  now  that  even  the  queen  could  no 
longer  close  her  eyes  to  the  urgent  necessity  of  the  case. 

As  soon  as  the  news  arrived  all  the  gentlemen  in  the 
town  flocked  on  board  the  ships,  and  on  the  night  of  the  19th 
the  queen's  ships  and  some  of  the  privateers  went  to  moor 
ings  behind  Ram  Head,  so  that  they  could  make  clear  to 
sea  :  and  on  the  morning  when  the  Spaniards  sighted  the 
Lizard,  forty  sail  were  lying  ready  for  action  under  the 
headland. 

At  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  look-out  men  on 
the  hill  reported  a  line  of  sails  on  the  western  horizon. 
Two  wings  were  at  first  visible,  which  were  gradually 
united  as  the  top-sails  of  those  in  the  center  rose  above  the 
line  of  sea.  As  they  arose  it  could  be  seen  that  the  great 


BY  ENGLAND  '5  AID. 

fleet  was  sailing,  in  the  form  of  a  huge  crescent,  before  a 
gentle  wind.  A  hundred  and  fifty  ships,  large  and  small, 
were  counted,  as  a  few  store-ships  bound  for  Flanders  had 
joined  the  Armada  for  protection. 

The  Active  was  one  of  the  privateers  that  had  late  the 
evening  before  gone  out  to  Ram  Head,  and  just  as  it  was 
growing  dusk  the  anchors  were  got  up,  and  the  little  fleet 
sailed  out  from  the  shelter  of  the  land  as  the  Armada  swept 
along. 

The  Spanish  admiral  at  once  ordered  the  fleet  to  lie-to 
for  the  night,  and  to  prepare  for  a  general  action  at  day 
break,  as  he  knew  from  a  fisherman  he  had  captured  that 
the  English  fleet  were  at  Plymouth.  The  wind  was  on 
shore,  but  all  through  the  night  Howard's  and  Drake's 
ships  beat  out  from  the  Sound  until  they  took  their  places 
behind  the  Spanish  fleet,  whose  position  they  could  per 
fectly  make  out  by  the  light  of  the  half  moon  that  rose  at 
two  in  the  morning. 

On  board  the  English  fleet  all  was  confidence  and  hilarity. 
The  sufferings  of  the  last  three  months  were  forgotten. 
The  numbers  and  magnitude  of  the  Spanish  ships  counted 
as  nothing.  The  sailors  of  the  west  country  had  met  the 
Spaniards  on  the  Indian  seas  and  proved  their  masters, 
and  doubted  not  for  a  moment  that  they  should  do  so 
again. 

There  was  scarce  a  breath  of  air  when  day  broke,  but  at 
eight  o'clock  a  breeze  sprang  up  from  the  west,  and  the 
Armada  made  sail  and  attempted  to  close  with  the  Eng 
lish  ;  but  the  low,  sharp  English  ships  sailed  two  feet  to 
the  one  of  the  floating  castles  of  Spain,  and  could  sail  close 
to  the  wind,  while  the  Spanish  ships,  if  they  attempted  to 
close-haul  their  sails,  drifted  bodily  to  leeward.  Howard's 
flagship,  the  Ark-Raleigh,  with  three  other  English  ships. 
opened  the  engagement  by  running  down  along  their  rear- 
line,  firing  into  each  galleon  as  they  passed,  then  wearing 
round  and  repeating  the  maneuver.  The  great  San  Matteo 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  145 

luffed  out  from  the  rest  of  the  fleet  and  challenged  them 
to  board,  but  they  simply  poured  their  second  broadside 
into  her  and  passed  on. 

The  excellence  of  the  maneuvering  of  the  English  ships, 
and  the  rapidity  and  accuracy  of  their  fire,  astonished  the 
Spaniards.  Throughout  the  whole  forenoon  the  action 
continued ;  the  Spaniards  making  efforts  to  close,  but  in 
vain,  the  English  ships  keeping  the  weather-gage  and  sail 
ing  continually  backwards  and  forwards,  pouring  in  their 
broadsides.  The  height  and  size  of  the  Spanish  ships 
were  against  them  ;  and  being  to  leeward  they  heeled  over 
directly  they  came  up  to  the  wind  to  fire  a  broadside,  and 
their  shots  for  the  most  part  went  far  over  their  assailants, 
while  they  themselves  suffered  severely  from  the  English 
fire.  Miquel  de  Oquendo,  who  commanded  one  of  the 
six  Spanish  squadrons,  distinguished  himself  by  his  at 
tempts  to  close  with  the  English,  and  by  maintaining  his 
position  in  the  rear  of  the  fleet  engaged  in  constant  conflict 
with  them. 

He  was  a  young  nobleman  of  great  promise,  distinguished 
alike  for  his  bravery  and  chivalrous  disposition  ;  but  he 
could  do  little  while  the  wind  remained  in  the  west  and 
the  English  held  the  weather-gage.  So  far  only  the  ships 
that  had  been  anchored  out  under  Ram  Head  had  taken 
part  in  the  fight,  those  lying  higher  up  in  the  Sound  being 
unable  to  make  their  way  out.  At  noon  the  exertions  of 
their  crews,  who  had  from  the  preceding  evening  worked 
incessantly,  prevailed,  and  they  were  now  seen  coming  out 
from  behind  the  headland  to  take  part  in  the  struggle. 
Medina-Sidonia  signaled  to  his  fleet  to  make  sail  up  Chan 
nel,  Martinez  de  Ricaldo  covering  the  rear  with  the  squad 
ron  of  Biscay.  He  was  vice-admiral  of  the  fleet,  and 
considered  to  be  the  best  seaman  Spain  possessed  now  that 
Santa  Cruz  was  dead. 

The  wind  was  now  rising.  Lord  Howard  sent  off  a  fast 
boat  with  letters  to  Lord  Henry  Seymour,  telling  him  how 


146  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

things  had  gone  so  far,  and  Induing  him  be  prepared  for 
the  arrival  of  the  Spanish  fleet  in  the  Downs.  As  il;e 
afternoon  went  on  the  wind  rose,  and  a  rolling  sea  came 
in  from  the  west.  Howard  still  hung  upon  the  Spanish 
rear,  firing  but  seldom  in  order  to  save  his  powder.  As 
evening  fell,  the  Spanish  vessels,  huddled  closely  together, 
frequently  came  into  collision  with  one  another,  and  in  one 
of  these  the  Capitana,  the  flagship  of  the  Andalusian  di 
vision,  commanded  by  Admiral  Pedro  de  Valdez,  had  her 
bowsprit  carried  away,  the  foremast  fell  overboard,  and  the 
ship  dropped  out  of  her  place. 

Two  of  the  galleasses  came  to  her  assistance  and  tried 
to  take  her  in  tow,  but  the  waves  were  running  so  high 
that  the  cable  broke.  Pedro  de  Valdez  had  been  command 
er  of  the  Spanish  fleet  on  the  coast  of  Holland,  and  knew 
the  English  Channel  and  the  northern  shores  of  France 
and  Holland  well.  The  duke  therefore  despatched  boats 
to  bring  him  off  with  his  crew,  but  he  refused  to  leave  his 
charge.  Howard,  as  with  his  ships  he  passed  her,  believed 
her  to  be  deserted  and  went  on  after  the  fleet ;  but  a  Lon 
don  vessel  kept  close  to  her  and  exchanged  shots  with  her 
all  night,  until  Drake,  who  had  turned  aside  to  chase  what 
he  believed  to  be  a  portion  of  the  Spanish  fleet  that  had 
separated  itself  from  the  rest,  but  which  turned  out  to  be 
the  merchant  ships  that  had  joined  it  for  protection,  came 
up,  and  the  Capitana  struck  her  flag.  Drake  took  her  into 
Torbay,  and  there  left  her  in  the  care  of  the  Brixham  fisher 
men,  and  taking  with  him  Valdez  and  the  other  officers 
sailed  away  to  join  Lord  Howard.  The  fishermen,  on 
searching  the  ship,  found  some  tons  of  gunpowder  on 
board  her.  Knowing  the  scarcity  of  ammunition  in  the 
fleet  they  placed  this  on  board  the  Roebuck,  the  fastest 
trawler  in  the  harbor,  and  she  started  at  once  in  pursuit  of 
the  fleet. 

The  misfortune  to  the  Capitana  was  not  the  only  one 
that  befell  the  Spaniards.  While  Oquendo  was  absent 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  147 

from  his  galleon  a  quarrel  arose  among  the  officers,  who 
were  furious  at  the  ill  result  of  the  day's  fighting.  The 
captain  struck  the  master-gunner  with  a  stick  ;  the  latter, 
a  German,  rushed  below  in  a  rage,  thrust  a  burning  fuse 
into  a  powder  barrel,  and  sprang  through  a  port-hole  into 
the  sea.  The  whole  of  the  deck  was  blown  up,  with  two 
hundred  sailors  and  soldiers  ;  but  the  ship  was  so  strongly 
built  that  she  survived  the  shock,  and  her  mast  still  stood. 

The  duke  sent  boats  to  learn  what  had  happened.  These 
carried  off  the  few  who  remained  unhurt,  but  there  was 
no  means  of  taking  off  the  wounded.  These,  however, 
were  treated  kindly  and  sent  on  shore  when  the  ship  was 
picked  up  at  daylight  by  the  English,  who,  on  rifling  her, 
found  to  their  delight  that  there  were  still  many  powder 
barrels  on  board  that  had  escaped  the  explosion. 

The  morning  broke  calm,  and  the  wind,  when  it  came, 
was  from  the  east,  which  gave  the  Spaniards  the  advantage 
of  position.  The  two  fleets  lay  idle  all  day  three  or  four 
miles  apart,  and  the  next  morning,  as  the  wind  was  still 
from  the  east,  the  Spaniards  bore  down  upon  Howard  to 
offer  battle. 

The  English,  however,  headed  out  to  sea.  Encouraged 
by  seeing  their  assailants  avoid  a  pitched  battle  the 
Spaniards  gave  chase.  The  San  Marcos,  the  fastest  sailer 
in  the  fleet,  left  the  rest  behind,  and  when  the  breeze 
headed  round  at  noon  she  was  several  miles  to  windward 
of  her  consorts  and  the  English  at  once  set  upon  her.  She 
fought  with  extreme  courage,  and  defended  herself  single- 
handed  for  an  hour  and  a  half,  when  Oquendo  came  up  to 
the  rescue,  and  as  the  action  off  Plymouth  had  almost  ex 
hausted  his  stock,  of  powder,  and  the  Brixham  sloop  had 
not  yet  come  up,  Howard  was  obliged  to  draw  off. 

The  action  of  this  day  was  fought  off  Portland.  During 
the  three  days  the  British  fleet  had  been  to  sea  they  had 
received  almost  hourly  reinforcements.  From  every  har 
bor  and  fishing  port  along  the  coast  from  Plymouth  to  the 


148  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

Isle  of  Wight  vessels  of  all  sizes,  smacks,  and  boats  put 
off,  crowded  with  noblemen  and  gentlemen  anxious  to  take 
part  in  the  action,  and  their  enthusiasm  added  to  that  of 
the  weary  and  ill-fed  sailors.  At  the  end  of  the  third  day 
the  English  fleet  had  increased  to  a  hundred  sail,  many  of 
which,  however,  were  of  very  small  burden. 


ENGLAND  't>  AW. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE   ROUT   OF  THE   ARMADA. 

THE  fight  between  the  fleets  had  begun  on  Sunday 
morning,  and  at  the  end  of  the  third  day  the  strength  of 
the  Armada  remained  unbroken,  The  moral  effect  had 
no  doubt  been  great,  but  the  loss  of  two  or  three  ships  was 
a  trifle  to  so  large  a  force,  and  the  spirit  of  the  Spaniards 
had  been  raised  by  the  gallant  and  successful  defence  the 
San  Marcos  had  made  on  the  Tuesday  afternoon.  Wednes 
day  was  again  calm.  The  magazines  of  the  English  ships 
were  empty.  Though  express  after  express  had  been  sent 
off  praying  that  ammunition  might  be  sent,  none  had  ar 
rived,  and  the  two  fleets  lay  six  miles  apart  without  action, 
save  that  the  galleasses  came  out  and  skirmished  for  a 
Avhile  Avith  the  English  ships. 

That  evening,  however,  a  supply  of  ammunition  suffi 
cient  for  another  day's  fighting  arrived,  and  soon  after 
daybreak  the  English  fleet  moved  down  towards  the 
Armada,  and  for  the  first  time  engaged  them  at  close 
quarters.  The  Ark-Raleigh,  the  Bear,  the  Elizabeth  Jones. 
the  Lion,  and  the  Victory  bore  on  straight  into  the  center 
of  the  Spanish  galleons,  exchanging  broadsides  with  each 
as  they  passed.  Oquendo  Avith  his  vessel  was  right  in  the 
the  course  of  the  English  flagship,  and  a  collision  took 
place,  in  Avhich  the  Ark-Ralegh's  rudder  was  unshipped, 
and  she  became  unmanageable. 

The  enemy's  vessels  closed  round  her,  but  she  lowered 
her  boats,  and  these,  in  spite  of  the  fire  of  the  enemy, 
brought  her  head  round  before  the  Aviud,  and  she  made 


150  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

her  way  through  her  antagonists  and  got  clear.  For  ser- 
eral  hours  the  battle  continued.  The  Spanish  fire  was  so 
slow,  and  their  ships  so  unwieldy,  that  it  was  rarely  they 
succeeded  in  firing  a  shot  into  their  active  foes,  while  the 
English  shot  tore  their  way  through  the  massive  timbers 
of  the  Spanish  vessels,  scattering  the  splinters  thickly 
among  the  soldiers,  who  had  been  sent  below  to  be  out  of 
harm's  way  ;  but  beyond  this,  and  inflicting  much  damage 
upon  masts  and  spars,  the  day's  fighting  had  no  actual 
results.  No  captures  were  made  by  the  English. 

The  Spaniards  suffered,  but  made  no  sign  ;  nevertheless 
their  confidence  in  their  powers  was  shaken.  Their  am 
munition  was  also  running  short,  and  they  had  no  hope  of 
refilling  their  magazines  until  they  effected  a  junction 
with  Parma.  Their  admiral  that  night  wrote  to  him  ask 
ing  that  two  shiploads  of  shot  and  powder  might  be  sent 
to  him  immediately.  "  The  enemy  pursue  me,''  he  said  ; 
"  they  fire  upon  me  most  days  from  morning  till  nightfall, 
but  they  will  not  close  and  grapple.  I  have  given  them 
every  opportunity.  I  have  purposely  left  ships  exposed  to 
tempt  them  to  board,  but  they  decline  to  do  it ;  and  there 
is  no  remedy,  for  they  are  swift  and  we  are  slow.  They 
have  men  and  ammunition  in  abundance."  The  Spanish 
admiral  was  unaware  that  the  English  magazines  were 
even  more  empty  than  his  own. 

On  Friday  morning  Howard  sailed  for  Dover  to  take  in 
the  supplies  that  were  so  sorely  needed.  The  Earl  of 
Sussex,  who  was  in  command  of  the  castle,  gave  him  all 
that  he  had,  and  the  stores  taken  from  the  prizes  came  up 
in  light  vessels  and  were  divided  among  the  fleet,  and  in 
the  evening  the  English  fleet  again  sailed  out  and  took  up 
its  place  in  the  rear  of  the  Armada. 

On  Saturday  morning  the  weather  changed.  After  six 
days  of  calm  and  sunshine  it  began  to  blow  hard  from  the 
west,  with  driving  showers.  The  Spaniards,  having  no 
pilots  who  knew  the  coasts,  anchored  off  Calais,  The 


& Y  ENGLAND ' S  AID.  151 

English  fleet,  closely  watching  their  movements,  brought 
up  two  miles  astern. 

The  Spanish  admiral  sent  off  another  urgent  letter  to 
Parma  at  Dunkirk,  begging  him  to  send  immediately 
thirty  or  forty  fast  gunboats  to  keep  the  English  at  bay. 
Parma  had  received  the  admiral's  letters,  and  was  perfectly 
ready  to  embark  his  troops,  but  could  not  do  this  as  the 
admiral  expected  he  would,  until  the  fleet  came  up  to  pro 
tect  him.  The  lighters  and  barges  he  had  constructed  for 
the  passage  were  only  fit  to  keep  the  sea  in  calm  weather, 
and  Mrould  have  been  wholly  at  the  mercy  of  even  a  single 
English  ship  of  war.  He  could  not,  therefore,  embark 
his  troops  until  the  duke  arrived.  As  to  the  gunboats 
asked  for,  he  had  none  with  him. 

But  while  the  Spanish  admiral  had  grave  cause  for  un 
easiness  in  the  situation  in  which  he  found  himself;  Lord 
Howard  had  no  greater  reason  for  satisfaction.  In  spite 
of  his  efforts  the  enemy's  fleet  had  arrived  at  their  destina 
tion  with  their  strength  still  unimpaired,  and  were  in 
communication  with  the  Duke  of  Parma's  army.  Lord 
Seymour  had  come  up  with  a  squadron  from  the  mouth  of 
the  Thames,  but  his  ships  had  but  one  day's  provisions  on 
board,  while  Drake  and  Howard's  divisions  had  all  but  ex 
hausted  their  supplies.  The  previous  day's  fighting  had 
used  up  the  ammunition  obtained  at  Dover.  Starvation 
would  drive  every  English  ship  from  the  sea  in  another 
week  at  latest.  The  channel  would  then  be  open  for  the 
passage  of  Parma's  army. 

At  five  o'clock  on  Sunday  evening  a  council  of  war  was 
held  in  Lord  Howard's  cabin,  and  it  was  determined,  that 
as  it  was  impossible  to  attack  the  Spanish  fleet  where  they 
lay  at  the  edge  of  shallow  water,  an  attempt  must  be  made 
to  drive  them  out  into  the  Channel  with  fire-ships.  Eight 
of  the  private  vessels  were  accordingly  taken,  and  such 
combustibles  as  could  be  found — pitch,  tar,  old  sails, 
empty  casks,  and  other  materials — were  piled  into  them. 


152  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

At  midnight  the  tide  set  directly  from  the  English  fleet 
towards  the  Spaniards,  and  the  fire-ships,  manned  by  their 
respective  crews,  hoisted  sail  and  drove  down  towards 
them. 

When  near  the  Armada  the  crews  set  fire  to  the  combus 
tibles,  and  taking  to  their  boats  rowed  back  to  the  fleet. 
At  the  sight  of  the  flames  bursting  up  from  the  eight  ships 
louring  down  upon  them,  the  Spaniards  were  seized  with 
a  panic.  The  admiral  fired  a  gun  as  a  signal,  and  all  cut 
their  cables  and  hoisted  sail,  and  succeeded  in  getting  out 
to  sea  before  the  fire-ships  arrived.  They  lay-to  six  miles 
from  shore,  intending  to  return  in  the  morning  and  recover 
their  anchors ;  but  Drake  with  his  division  of  the  fleet, 
and  Seymour  with  the  squadron  from  the  Thames,  weighed 
their  anchors  and  stood  off  after  them,  while  Howard  with 
his  division  remained  off  Calais,  where,  in  the  morning, 
the  largest  of  the  four  galleasses  was  seen  aground  on  Ca 
lais  Bar.  Lord  Howard  wasted  many  precious  hours  in 
capturing  her  before  he  set  off  to  join  Drake  and  Seymour, 
who  were  thundering  against  the  Spanish  fleet.  The  wind 
had  got  up  during  the  night,  and  the  Spaniards  had  drifted 
farther  than  they  expected,  and  when  morning  dawned 
were  scattered  over  the  sea  off  Gravelines.  Signals  were 
made  for  them  to  collect,  but  before  they  could  do  so 
Drake  and  Seymour  came  up  and  opened  fire  within  pistol- 
shot.  The  English  admiral  saw  at  once  that,  with  the 
wind  rising  from  the  south,  if  he  could  drive  the  unwieldy 
galleons  north  they  would  be  cut  off  from  Dunkirk,  and 
would  not  be  able  to  beat  back  again  until  there  Avas  a 
change  of  wind. 

All  through  the  morning  the  English  ships  poured  a  con 
tinuous  shower  of  shot  into  the  Spanish  vessels,  which,  hud 
dled  together  in  a  confused  mass,  were  unable  to  make  any 
return  whatever.  The  duke  and  Oquendo,  with  some  of  the 
best  sailors  among  the  fleet,  tried  to  bear  out  from  the 
crowd  and  get  room  to  maneuver,  but  Drake's  ships  were 


B Y  ENGLAND  '8  AID.  153 

too  weatherly  and  too  well  handled  to  permit  of  this,  and 
they  were  driven  back  again  into  the  confused  mass,  which 
*•  was  being  slowly  forced  towards  the  shoals  and  banks  of 
the  coasts. 

Howard  came  up  at  noon  with  his  division,  and  until 
sunset  the  fire  was  maintained,  by  which  time  almost  the 
last  cartridge  was  spent,  and  the  crews  worn  out  by  the 
incessant  labor.  They  took  no  prizes,  for  they  never  at 
tempted  to  board.  They  saw  three  great  galleons  go  down, 
and  three  more  drift  away  towards  the  sands  of  Ostend, 
where  they  were  captured  either  by  the  English  garrisoned 
there  or  by  three  vessels  sent  by  Lord  Willoughby  from 
Flushing,  under  the  command  of  Francis  Vere.  Had  the 
English  ammunition  lasted  but  a  few  more  hours  the  Avhole 
of  the  Armada  would  have  been  either  driven  ashore  or 
sunk  ;  but  when  the  last  cartridge  had  been  burned  the 
assailants  drew  off  to  take  on  board  the  stores  which  had, 
while  the  fighting  was  going  on,  been  brought  up  by  some 
provision  ships  from  the  Thames. 

But  the  Spaniards  were  in  no  condition  to  benefit  by  the 
cessation  of  the  attack.  In  spite  of  the  terrible  disadvan 
tages  under  which  they  labored,  they  had  fought  with 
splendid  courage.  The  sides  of  the  galleons  had  been  rid 
dled  with  shot,  and  the  splinters  caused  by  the  rending  of 
the  massive  timbers  had  done  even  greater  execution  than 
the  iron  hail.  Being  always  to  leeward,  and  heeling  over 
with  the  wind,  the  ships  had  been  struck  again  and  again 
below  the  water-line,  and  many  were  only  kept  from  sink 
ing  by  nailing  sheets  of  lead  over  the  shot-holes. 

Their  guns  were,  for  the  most  part,  dismounted  or 
knocked  to  pieces.  Several  -had  lost  masts,  the  carnage 
among  the  crews  was  frightful,  and  yet  not  a  single  ship 
hauled  down  her  colors.  The  San  Matteo  which  was  one 
of  those  that  grounded  between  Ostend  and  Sluys,  fought 
to  the  last,  and  kept  Francis  Yere's  three  ships  at  bay  for 
two  hours,  until  she  was  at  last  carried  bv  boarding. 


154  BY  ENGLAND ' 8  AID. 

Left  to  themselves  at  the  end  of  the  day,  the  Spaniards 
gathered  in  what  order  they  could,  and  made  sail  for  the 
north.  On  counting  the  losses  they  found  that  four  thou 
sand  men  had  been  killed  or  drowned,  and  the  number  of 
wounded  must  have  been  far  greater.  The  crews  were 
utterly  worn-out  and  exhausted.  They  had  the  day  before 
been  kept  at  work  cleaning  and  refitting,  and  the  fire-ships 
had  disturbed  them  early  in  the  night.  During  the  en 
gagement  there  had  been  no  time  to  serve  out  food,  and 
the  labors  of  the  long  struggle  had  completely  exhausted 
them.  Worst  of  all,  they  were  utterly  disheartened  by  the 
day's  fighting.  They  had  been  pounded  by  their  active 
foes,  who  fired  five  shots  to  their  one,  and  whose  vessels 
sailed  round  and  round  them,  while  they  themselves  had 
inflicted  no  damage  that  they  could  perceive  upon  their 
assailants. 

The  English  admirals  had  no  idea  of  the  extent  of  the 
victory  they  had  won.  Howard,  who  had  only  come  up 
in  the  middle  of  the  fight,  believed  that  they  ''were  still 
wonderful  great  and  strong,"  while  even  Drake,  who  saw 
more  clearly  how  much  they  had  suffered,  only  ventured 
to  hope  that  some  days  at  least  would  elapse  before  they 
could  join  hands  with  Parma.  In  spite  of  the  small  store 
of  ammunition  that  had  arrived  the  night  before,  the  Eng 
lish  magazines  were  almost  empty ;  but  they  determined 
to  show  a  good  front,  and  "give  chase  as  though  they 
wanted  nothing." 

When  the  morning  dawned  the  English  fleet  were  stil'l 
to  windward  of  the  Armada,  while  to  leeward  were  lines  of 
white  foam,  where  the  sea  was  breaking  on  the  shoals  of 
Holland.  It  seemed  that  the  Armada  was  lost.  At  thii 
critical  moment  the  wind  suddenly  shifted  to  the  east. 
This  threw  the  English  fleet  to  leeward,  and  enabled  the 
Spaniards  to  head  out  from  the  coast  and  make  for  the 
Xorth  Sea.  The  Spanish  admiral  held  a  council.  The 
vihad  gone  do**"1-  and  they  had  now  a  fair  win-1  fr"'  Ca- 


J5F  ENGLAND'S  AID.  155 

lais ;  and  the  question  was  put  to  the  sailing-masters  and 
captains  whether  they  should  return  into  the  Channel  or 
sail  north  round  Scotland  and  Ireland,  and  so  return  to 
Spain.  The  former  was  the  courageous  course,  but  the 
spirit  of  the  Spaniards  was  broken,  and  the  vote  was  in 
favor  of  what  appeared  a  way  of  escape.  Therefore,  the 
shattered  fleet  bore  on  its  way  north.  On  board  the  Eng 
lish  fleet  a  similar  council  was  being  held,  and  it  was  deter 
mined  that  Lord  Seymour's  squadron  should  return  to 
guard  the  Channel,  lest  Parma  should  take  advantage  of 
the  absence  of  the  fleet  to  cross  from  Dunkirk  to  England, 
and  that  Howard  and  Drake  with  their  ninety  ships  should 
pursue  the  Spaniards  ;  for  it  was  not  for  a  moment  sup 
posed  that  the  latter  had  entirely  abandoned  their  enter 
prise,  and  intended  to  return  to  Spain  without  making 
another  effort  to  rejoin  Parma. 

During  the  week's  fighting  Geoffrey  and  Lionel  Yickars 
had  taken  such  part  as  they  could  in  the  contest ;  but  as 
there  had  been  no  hand-to-hand  fighting,  the  position  of 
the  volunteers  on  board  the  fleet  had  been  little  more  than 
that  of  spectators.  The  crews  worked  the  guns  and  man 
euvered  the  sails,  and  the  most  the  lads  could  do  was  to 
relieve  the  ship-boys  in  carrying  up  powder  and  shot,  and 
to  take  round  drink  to  men  serving  the  guns.  When  not 
otherwise  engaged  they  had  watched  with  intense  excite 
ment  the  maneuvers  of  their  own  ship  and  of  those  near 
them,  as  they  swept  down  towards  the  great  hulls,  delivered 
their  broadsides,  and  then  shot  off  again  before  the  Span 
iards  had  had  time  to  discharge  more  than  a  gun  or  two. 
The  sails  had  been  pierced  in  several  places,  but  not  a 
single  shot  had  struck  the  hull  of  the  vessel.  In  the  last 
day's  fighting,  however,  the  Active  became  entangled 
among  several  of  the  Spanish  galleons,  and  being  almost 
becalmed  by  their  lofty  hulls,  one  of  them  ran  full  at  her, 
and  rolling  heavily  in  the  sea,  seemed  as  if  she  would  oyer- 
"^Im  her  pu^v  antagonist. 


156  BY  ENGLAND1  S  AID. 

Geoffrey  was  standing  at  the  end  of  the  poop  when  uiie 
mizzen  rigging  became  entangled  in  the  stern  gallery  of 
the  Spaniard,  and  a  moment  later  the  mast  snapped  off, 
and  as  it  fell  carried  him  overboard.  For  a  moment  he 
was  half-stunned,  but  caught  hold  of  a  piece  of  timber  shot 
away  from  one  of  the  enemy's  ships,  and  clung  to  it  me 
chanically.  When  he  recovered  and  looked  round,  the 
Active  had  drawn  out  from  between  the  Spaniards,  and 
the  great  galleon  which  had  so  nearly  sunk  her  was  close 
beside  him. 

The  sea  was  in  a  turmoil ;  the  waves  as  they  set  in  from 
the  west  being  broken  up  by  the  rolling  of  the  great  ships, 
and  torn  by  the  hail  of  shot.  The  noise  was  prodigious, 
from  the  incessant  cannonade  kept  up  by  the  English  ships 
and  the  return  of  the  artillery  on  board  the  Armada,  .the 
rending  of  timber,  the  heavy  crashes  as  the  great  galleons 
rolled  against  one  another,  the  shouting  on  board  the 
Spanish  ships,  the  creaking  of  the  masts  and  yards,  and 
the  flapping  of  the  sails. 

On  trying  to  strike  out,  Geoffrey  found  that  as  he  had 
been  knocked  overboard  he  had  struck  his  right  knee 
severely  against  the  rail  of  the  vessel,  and  was  at  present 
unable  to  use  that  leg.  Fearful  of  being  run  down  by  one 
of  the  great  ships,  and  still  more  of  being  caught  between 
two  of  them  as  they  rolled,  he  looked  round  to  try  to  get 
sight  of  an  English  ship  in  the  throng.  Then,  seeing  that 
lie  was  entirely  surrounded  by  Spaniards,  he  left  the  spar 
and  swam  as  well  as  he  could  to  the  bow  of  a  great  ship 
close  beside  him,  and  grasping  a  rope  trailing  from  the 
bowsprit,  managed  by  its  aid  to  clirnb  up  until  he  reached 
the  bobstay,  across  which  he  seated  himself  with  his  back  to 
the  stem.  The  position  was  a  precarious  one,  and  after  a 
time  he  gained  the  wooden  carved  work  above,  and  obtained 
a  seat  there  just  below  the  bowsprit,  and  hidden  from  the 
sight  of  those  on  deck  a  few  feet  above  him.  As  he  knew 
tiie  vessels  were  drifting  to  leeward  towards  the  shoals,  h» 


GEOFFREY  CARRIED  OVERBOARD  BY  THE  FALLING  MAST.— Page  156. 


S  T  ENGLAND '  5  AID.  157 

hoped  to  remain  hidden  until  the  vessel  struck,  and  then 
to  gain  the  shore. 

«•  Presently  the  shifting  of  the  positions  of  the  ships  brought 
the  vessel  on  which  he  was  into  the  outside  line.  The 
shots  now  flew  thickly  about,  and  he  could  from  time  to 
time  feel  a  jar  as  the  vessel  was  struck. 

So  an  hour  went  on.  At  the  end  of  that  iime  he  heard 
a  great  shouting  on  deck,  and  the  sound  of  men  running 
to  and  fro.  Happening  to  look  down  he  saw  that  the  sea 
was  but  a  few  feet  below  him,  and  knew  that  the  great 
galloon  was  sinking.  Another  quarter  of  an  hour  she  was 
so  much  lower  that  he  was  sure  she  could  not  swim  many 
minutes  longer  ;  and  to  avoid  being  drawn  down  with  her 
he  dropped  into  the  water  and  swam  off.  He  was  but  a 
short  distance  away  when  he  heard  a  loud  cry,  and  glanc 
ing  over  his  shoulder  saw  the  ship  disappearing.  He  swam 
desperately,  but  was  caught  in  the  suck  and  carried  under  ; 
but  there  was  no  great  depth  of  water,  and  he  soon  came 
to  the  surface  again.  The  sea  was  dotted  with  struggling 
men  and  pieces  of  wreckage.  He  swam  to  one  of  the  latter, 
and  held  on  until  he  saw  some  boats,  which  the  next  Span 
ish  ship  had  lowered  when  she  saw  her  consort  disappear 
ing,  rowing  towards  them,  and  was  soon  afterwards  hauled 
into  one  of  them.  He  had  closed  his  eyes  as  it  came  up, 
and  assumed  the  appearance  of  insensibility,  and  he  lay  in 
the  bottom  of  the  boat  immovable,  until  after  a  time  he 
heard  voices  above,  and  then  felt  himself  being  carried  up 
the  ladder  and  laid  down  on  the  deck. 

He  remained  quiet  for  some  time,  thinking  over  what  he 
had  best  do.  He  was  certain  that  were  it  known  he  was 
English  he  would  at  once  be  stabbed  and  thrown  overboard, 
for  there  was  no  hope  of  quarter  ;  but  he  was  for  some  time 
unable  to  devise  any  plan  by  which,  even  for  a  short  time, 
to  conceal  his  nationality.  He  only  knew  a  few  words  of 
Spanish,  and  would  be  detected  the  moment  he  opened  his 
lips.  He  thought  of  leaping  up  suddenly  and  jumping 


1 58  B  T  ENGLA  ND '  S  AIL. 

overboard  ;  but  his  chance  of  reaching  the  English  ships 
to  windward  would  be  slight  indeed.  At  last  an  idea  struck 
him,  and  sitting  up  he  opened  his  eyes  and  looked  round. 
Several  other  Spaniards  who  had  been  picked  up  lay  ex 
hausted  on  the  deck  near  him.  A  party  of  soldiers  and 
sailors  close  by  were  working  a  cannon.  The  bulwarks 
were  shot  away  in  many  places,  dead  and  dying  men  lay 
scattered  about,  the  decks  were  everywhere  stained  with 
blood,  and  no  one  paid  any  attention  to  him  until  pres 
ently  the  fire  began  to  slacken.  Shortly  afterwards  a 
Spanish  officer  came  up  and  spoke  to  him. 

Geoffrey  rose  to  his  feet,  rubbed  his  eyes,  yawned,  and 
burst  into  an  idiotic  laugh.  The  officer  spoke  again  but 
he  paid  no  attention,  and  the  Spaniard  turned  away,  be 
lieving  that  the  lad  had  lost  senses  from  fear  and  the  hor 
rors  of  the  day. 

As  night  came  on  ho  was  several  times  addressed,  but 
always  with  the  same  result.  When  after  dark  food  and 
wine  were  served  out,  he  seized  the  portion  offered  to  him, 
and  hr.rrying  away  crouched  under  the  shelter  of  a  gun, 
and  devoured  it  as  if  fearing  it  would  be  taken  from  him 
again. 

"vYT.er-  ".c-  saw  that  the  sailors  were  begii.ni:i:r  to  repair 
sonv;-  oi  the  most  necessary  ropes  and  stays  th:it  had  been 
shot  avrr  v,  he  pushed  his  way  through  them  und  took  his 
share  of  the  work,  laughing  idiotically  from  time  to  time. 
He  had,  when  lie  saw  that  the  galleon  was  sinking,  taken 
off  his  doublet,  the  better  to  be  able  to  swim,  and  in  his 
shirt  and  trunks  there  was  nothing  to  distinguish  him  from 
a  Spaniard,  and  none  suspected  that  he  was  the  other  than 
he  seemed  to  be — a  ship's  boy,  who  had  lost  his  senses  from 
fear.  When  the  work  was  done,  he  threw  himself  on  the 
deck  with  the  weary  sailors.  His  hopes  were  that  the 
Lattle  wo'ii:'  be  renewed  in  the  morning,  and  that  either  the 
ship  might  be  captured,  or  that  an  English  vessel  might  pass 
so  close  alongside  that  he  might  leap  over  and  swim  to  her. 


E  Y  ENGLAND '  8  AID.  159 

Great  was  his  disappointment  next  day  when  the  sudden 
^change  of  wind  gave  the  Spanish  fleet  the  weather -gage, 
and  enabled  them  to  steer  away  for  the  north.  He  joined 
in  the  work  of  the  crew,  paying  no  attention  whatever  to 
what  was  passing  around  him,  or  heeding  in  the  slightest 
the  remarks  made  to  him.  Once  or  twice  when  an  officer 
spoke  to  him  sternly  he  gave  a  little  cry,  ran  to  the  side, 
and  crouched  down  as  ii  in  abject  fear.  In  a  very  short 
time  no  attention  was  paid  to  him,  and  he  was  suffered  to  go 
about  as  he  chose,  being  regarded  as  a  harmless  imbecile. 
He  was  in  hopes  that  the  next  day  the  Spaniards  would 
change  their  course  and  endeavor  to  beat  back  to  the 
Channel,  and  was  at  once  disappointed  and  surprised  aa 
they  sped  on  before  the  southwesterly  wind,  which  wits 
hourly  increasing  in  force.  Some  miles  behind  he  could 
see  the  English  squadron  in  pursuit ;  but  these  made  no 
attempt  to  close  up,  being  well  contented  to  see  the  Ar 
mada  sailing  away,  and  being  too  straitened  in  ammuni 
tion  to  wish  to  bring  on  an  engagement  so  long  as  the 
Spaniards  were  following  their  present  course. 

The  wind  blew  with  ever-increasing  force ;  the  lightly 
ballasted  ships  made  bad  weather,  rolling  deep  in  the  seas, 
straining  heavily,  and  leaking  badly  through  the  opening 
seams  and  the  hastily-stopped  shot-holes.  Water  was  ex 
tremely  scarce,  and  at  a  signal  from  the  admiral  all  the 
horses  and  mules  were  thrown  overboard  in  order  to  hus 
band  the  supply.  Several  of  the  rnasts,  badly  injured  by 
the  English  shot,  went  by  the  board,  and  the  vessels  dropped 
behind  crippled,  to  be  picked  up  by  the  pursuing  fleet. 

Lord  Howard  followed  as  far  as  the  mouth  of  the  Forth  ; 
and  seeing  that  the  Spaniards  made  no  effort  to  enter  the 
estuary,  and  Inn  provisions  being  now  well-nigh  exhausted, 
he  hove  the  fleet  about  and  made  back  for  the  Channel, 
leaving  two  small  vessels  only  to  follow  the  Armada  and 
watch  its  course,  believing  that  it  would  make  for  Den 
mark,  refit  there,  and  then  return  to  rejoin  Parma. 


160  BY  ENGLA ND  ' S  AID. 

It  was  a  grievous  disappointment  to  the  English  to  be 
thus  forced  by  want  of  provisions  to  relinquish  the  pursuit. 
Had  they  been  properly  supplied  with  provisions  and  am 
munition  they  could  have  made  an  end  of  the  Armada  ; 
whereas,  they  believed  that  by  allowing  them  now  to 
escape  the  whole  work  would  have  to  be  done  over  again. 
They  had  sore  trouble  to  get  back  again  off  the  Norfolk 
coast.  The  wind  became  so  furious  that  the  fleet  was 
scattered.  A  few  of  the  largest  ships  reached  Margate  ; 
others  were  driven  into  Harwich,  others  with  difficulty 
kept  the  sea  until  the  storm  broke. 

It  might  have  been  thought  that  after  such  service  as 
the  fleet  had  rendered  even  Elizabeth  might  have  been 
generous  ;  but  now  that  the  danger  was  over,  she  became 
more  niggardly  than  ever.  Xo  fresh  provisions  were  sup 
plied  for  the  sick  men,  and  though  in  the  fight  off  the 
Dutch  coast  only  some  fifty  or  sixty  had  been  killed,  in 
the  course  of  a  very  short  time  the  crews  were  so  weakened 
by  deaths  and  disease  that  scarce  a  ship  could  have  put  to 
sea,  however  urgent  the  necessity.  Drake  and  Howard 
spent  every  penny  they  could  raise  in  buying  fresh  meat 
and  vegetables,  and  in  procuring  some  sort  of  shelter  on 
shore  for  the  sick.  Had  the  men  received  the  wages  due 
to  them  they  could  have  made  a  shift  to  have  purchased 
what  they  so  urgently  required  ;  but  though  the  Treasury 
was  full  of  money,  not  a  penny  was  forthcoming  until 
every  item  of  the  accounts  had  been  investigated  and 
squabbled  over.  Howard  was  compelled  to  pay  from  his 
private  purse  for  everything  that  had  been  purchased  at 
Plymouth,  Sir  John  Hawkins  was  absolutely  ruined  by  the 
demands  made  on  him  to  pay  for  necessaries  supplied  to 
the  fleet,  and  had  the  admirals  and  sailors  of  the  fleet  that 
saved  England  beLaved  like  ignominious  cowards,  their 
treatment  could  not  have  been  worse  than  that  which  they 
received  at  the  hands  of  their  sovereign. 

But  while  the  English  seamen  were  dying  like  sheep 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  161 

from  disease  and  neglect,  their  conquered  foes  were  faring 
no  better.  They  had  breathed  freely  for  the  first  time 
'  when  they  saw  the  English  fleet  bear  up  ;  an  examination 
was  made  of  the  provisions  that  were  left,  and  the  crews 
were  placed  on  rations  of  eight  ounces  of  bread,  half  a  pint 
of  wine,  and  a  pint  of  water  a  day.  The  fleet  was  still  a 
great  one,  for  of  the  hundred  and  fifty  ships  which  had 
sailed  from  Corunna,  a  hundred  and  twenty  still  held  to 
gether.  The  weather  now  turned  bitterly  cold,  with  fog 
and  mist,  squalls  and  driving  showers ;  and  the  vessels, 
when  they  reached  the  north  coast  of  Scotland,  lost  sight 
of  each  other,  and  each  struggled  for  herself  in  the  tem 
pestuous  sea. 

A  week  later  the  weather  cleared,  and  on  the  9th  of 
August  Geoffrey  looking  round  at  daybreak  saw  fifteen 
other  ships  in  sight.  Among  these  were  the  galleons  of 
Calderon  and  Kicaldo,  the  Rita,  San  Mafcos,  and  eleven 
other  vessels.  Signals  were  flying  from  all  of  them,  but 
the  sea  was  so  high  that  it  was  scarce  possible  to  lower  a 
boat.  That  night  it  again  blew  hard  and  the  fog  closed 
in,  and  in  the  morning  Geoffrey  found  that  the  ship  he 
was  on,  and  all  the  others,  with  the  exception  of  that  of 
Calderon,  were  steering  north  ;  the  intention  of  Ricaldo 
and  De  Leyva  being  to  make  for  the  Orkneys  and  refit 
there.  Calderon  had  stood  south,  and  had  come  upon 
Sidonia  wit>  fifty  ships  ;  and  these,  bearing  well  away  to 
the  west  of  Ireland,  finally  succeeded  for  the  most  part  in 
reaching  Spain,  their  crews  reduced  by  sickness  and  want 
to  a  mere  shadow  of  their  original  strength. 

The  cold  became  bitter  as  De  Leyva's  ships  made  their 
way  towards  the  Orkneys.  The  storm  was  furious,  and 
the  sailors,  unaccustomed  to  the  cold  and  weakened  by 
disease  and  famine,  could  no  longer  work  their  ships,  and 
De  Leyva  was  obliged  at  last  to  abandon  his  intention  and 
make  south.  One  galleon  was  driven  on  the  Faroe  Islands, 
a  second  on  the  Orkneys,  and  a  third  on  the  Isle  of  Mull, 


162  B  T  ENGLAND '  3  AID. 

where  it  was  attacked  by  the  natives  and  burned  with  al 
most  every  one  on  board.  The  rest  managed  to  make  the 
west  coast  of  Ireland,  and  the  hope  that  they  would  find 
shelter  in  Galway  Bay,  or  the  mouth  of  the  Shannon,  began 
to  spring  up  in  the  breasts  of  the  exhausted  crows. 

The  Irish  were  their  co-religionists  and  allies,  and  had 
only  been  waiting  for  news  of  the  success  of  the  Armada 
to  rise  in  arms  against  the  English,  who  had  but  few  troops 
there.  Rumors  of  disaster  had  arrived,  and  a  small  frigate 
had  been  driven  into  Tralee  Bay.  The  fears  of  the  gar 
rison  at  Tralee  Castle  overcame  their  feelings  of  humanity, 
and  all  on  board  were  put  to  death.  Two  galleons  put 
into  Dingle,  and  landing  begged  for  water  ;  but  the  natives, 
deciding  that  the  Spanish  cause  was  a  lest  one,  refused  to 
give  them  a  drop,  seized  the  men  who  had  landed  in  the 
boats,  and  the  galleons  had  to  put  to  sea  again. 

Another  ship  of  a  thousand  tons,  Our  Lady  of  the 
Rosary,  was  driven  into  the  furious  straits  between  the 
Blasket  Islands  and  the  coast  of  Kerry.  Of  her  crew  of 
seven  hundred,  five  hundred  had  died.  Before  she  got 
half-way  through  she  struck  among  the  breakers,  and  all 
the  survivors  perished  save  the  son  of  the  pilot,  who  was 
washed  ashore  lashed  to  a  plank.  Six  others  who  had 
reached  the  mouth  of  the  Shannon  sent  their  boats  ashore 
for  water  ;  but  although  there  were  no  English  there  the 
Irish  feared  to  supply  them,  even  though  the  Spaniards 
offered  any  sum  of  money  for  a  few  casks.  One  of  the 
ships  was  abandoned  and  the  others  put  to  sea,  only  to  be 
dashed  ashore  in  the  same  gale  that  wrecked  Our  Lady  of 
the  Rosary,  and  of  all  of  their  crews  only  one  hundred  and 
fifty  men  were  cast  ashore  alive.  Along  the  coast  of  Con- 
nemara,  Mayo,  and  Sligo  many  other  ships  were  wrecked. 
In  almost  every  case  the  crews  who  reached  the  shore  were 
at  once  murdered  by  the  native  savages  for  the  sake  of 
their  clothes  and  jewelery. 

Geoffrey  had  suffered  as  much  as  the  rest  of  the  crew  on 


BY  ENGLAND '5  AID.  163 

boaru  the  galleon  in  which  he  sailed.  All  were  so  absorbed 
oy  their  own  suffering  and  misery  that  none  paid  any  at 
tention  to  the  idiot  boy  in  their  midst.  He  worked  at 
such  work  as  there  was  to  do :  assisted  to  haul  on  the 
ropes,  to  throw  the  dead  overboard,  and  to  do  what  could 
be  done  for  the  sick  and  wounded.  Like  all  on  board  he 
was  reduced  almost  to  a  skeleton,  and  was  scarce  able  to 
stand. 

As  the  surviving  ships  passed  Galway  Bay,  one  of  them, 
which  was  leaking  so  badly  that  she  could  only  have  been 
kept  afloat  a  few  hours  in  any  case,  entered  it,  and  brought 
up  opposite  the  town.  Don  Lewis  of  Cordova,  who  com 
manded,  sent  a  party  on  shore,  believing  that  in  Galway, 
between  which  town  and  Spain  there  had  always  been  close 
connections,  they  would  be  well  received.  They  were, 
however,  at  once  taken  prisoners.  An  attempt  was  made 
to  get  up  the  anchors  again,  but  the  crew  were  too  feeble 
to  be  able  to  do  so,  and  the  natives  coming  out  in  their 
boats,  all  were  taken  prisoners  and  sent  on  shore.  Sir 
Eichard  Bingham,  the  governor  of  Connaught,  arrived  in 
a  few  hours,  and  at  once  despatched  search  parties  through 
Clare  and  Connemara  to  bring  all  Spaniards  cast  ashore 
alive  to  the  town,  and  sent  his  son  to  Mayo  to  fetch  down 
all  who  landed  there.  But  young  Bingham's  mission 
proved  useless  ;  every  Spaniard  who  had  landed  had  been 
murdered  by  the  natives,  well-nigh  three  thousand  having 
bt;en  slain  by  the  axes  and  knives  of  the  savages  who  pro 
fessed  to  be  their  co-religionists. 

Sir  Eichard  Bingham  was  regarded  as  a  humane  man, 
but  he  feared  the  consequences  should  the  eleven  hundred 
prisoners  col-iected  at  Galway  be  restored  to  health  and 
strength.  He  had  but  a  handful  of  troops  under  him, 
and  had  had  the  greatest  difficulty  in  keeping  dovn  the 
''rish  alone.  With  eleven  hundred  Spanish  soldiers  to  aid 
them  the  task  would  be  impossible,  and  accordingly  he 
gave  orders  that  all,  with  the  exception  of  Don  Lewis  him- 


164  BY  JSNGLAWf*  AID. 

self,  and  three  or  four  other  nobles,  should  be  executed. 
The  order  was  carried  out ;  Don  Lewis,  with  those  spared, 
was  sent  under  an  escort  to  Dublin,  but  the  others  being 
too  feeble  to  walk  were  killed  or  died  on  the  way,  and  Don 
Lewis  himself  was  the  sole  survivor  out  of  the  crews  of  a 
dozen  ships. 

De  Leyva,  the  most  popular  officer  in  the  Armada,  had 
with  him  in  his  ship  two  hundred  and  fifty  young  nobles 
of  the  oldest  families  in  Spain.  He  was  twice  wrecked. 
The  first  time  all  reached  the  shore  in  safety,  and  were 
protected  by  O'Niel,  who  was  virtually  the  sovereign  of 
the  north  of  Ulster.  He  treated  them  kindly  for  a  time. 
They  then  took  to  sea  again,  but  were  finally  wrecked  off 
Dunluce,  and  all  on  board  save  five  perished  miserably. 
Over  eight  thousand  Spaniards  died  on  the  Irish  coast. 
Eleven  hundred  were  put  to  death  by  Bingham,  three 
thousand  murdered  by  the  Irish,  the  rest  drowned  :  and  of 
the  whole  Armada  but  fifty-four  vessels,  carrying  between 
nine  and  ten  thousand  worn-out  men,  reached  Spain,  and 
of  the  survivors  a  large  proportion  afterwards  died  from 
the  effects  of  the  sufferings  they  had  endured. 


B  Y  ENGLAND '  5  AID.  loo 


CHAPTEii  X. 

THE  WAR  IX  HOLLAND. 

IN  the  confusion  caused  by  the  collision  of  the  Active 
with  the  Spanish  galleon  no  one  had  noticed  the  accident 
which  had  befallen  Geoffrey  Vickars,  and  his  brother's 
distress  was  great  when,  on  the  ship  getting  free  from 
among  the  Spaniards,  he  discovered  that  Geoffrey  was 
missing.  He  had  been  by  his  side  on  the  poop  but  a 
minute  before  the  mast  fell,  and  had  no  doubt  that  he 
had  been  carried  overboard  by  its  wreck.  That  he  had 
survived  he  had  not  the  least  hope,  and  when  a  week  later 
the  Active  on  her  way  back  towards  the  Thames  was  driven 
into  Harwich,  he  at  once  landed  and  carried  the  sad  news 
to  his  parents.  England  was  wild  with  joy  at  its  deliver 
ance,  buo  the  household  at  Hedingham  was  plunged  into 
deep  sorrow. 

Weeks  passed  and  then  Lionel  received  a  letter  from 
Francis  Vere  saying  that  Parma's  army  was  advancing 
into  Holland,  and  that  as  active  work  was  at  hand  he  had 
best,  if  his  intentions  remained  unchanged,  join  him  with 
out  delay. 

He  started  two  days  later  for  Harwich,  and  thence  took 
ship  for  Bergeu-op-Zooni.  Anchoring  at  Flushing,  he 
leari:e<i  that  the  Duke  of  Parma  had  already  sat  down  in 
front  of  Bergen-op-Zoom,  and  had  on  the  7th  attempted 
to  capture  Tholen  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  channel, 
but  had  been  repulsed  by  the  regiment  of  Count  Solms, 
with  a  loss  of  400  men.  He  had  then  thrown  up  works 
against  the  water  forts,  and  hot  fighting  had  gone  on,  the 


166  B Y  ENGLAND ' 8  AID. 

garrison  making  frequent  sallies  upon  the  besiegers.  The 
water  forts  still  held  out,  and  the  captain  therefore  deter 
mined  to  continue  his  voyage  into  the  town.  The  ship 
was  fired  at  hy  the  Spanish  batteries,  but  passed  safely 
between  the  water  forts  and  dropped  anchor  in  the  port 
on  the  last  day  of  September,  Lionel  having  been  absent 
from  Holland  just  a  year.  He  landed  at  once  and  made 
his  way  to  the  lodgings  of  Francis  Vere,  by  whom  he  was 
received  with  great  cordiality. 

"  I  was  greatly  grieved/'  he  said  after  the  first  greetings, 
"to  hear  of  your  brother's  death.  I  felt  it  as  if  he  had 
been  a  near  relative  of  my  own.  I  had  hoped  to  see  you 
both  ;  and  that  affair  concerning  which  my  cousin  wrote 
to  me,  telling  me  how  cleverly  you  had  discovered  a  plot 
against  the  queen's  life,  showed  me  that  you  would  both 
be  sure  to  make  your  way.  Your  father  and  mother  must 
have  felt  the  blow  terribly  ?  " 

"  They  have  indeed/*  Lionel  said.  "  I  do  not  think, 
however,  that  they  altogether  give  up  hope.  They  cling 
to  the  idea  that  he  may  have  been  picked  up  by  some 
Spanish  ship  and  may  now  be  a  prisoner  in  Spain." 

Francis  Vere  shook  his  head. 

"  Of  course,  I  know/'  Lionel  went  on,  "  their  hope  is 
altogether  without  foundation ;  for  even  had  Geoffrey 
gained  one  of  their  ships,  he  would  at  once  have  been 
thrown  overboard.  Still  I  rather  encouraged  the  idea,  for 
it  is  better  that  hope  should  die  out  gradually  than  be  ex 
tinguished  at  a  blow  ;  and  slight  though  it  was  it  enabled 
my  father  and  mother  to  bear  up  better  than  they  other 
wise  would  have  done.  Had  it  not  been  for  that  I  believe 
that  my  mother  would  have  well-nigh  sunk  beneath  it.  I 
was  very  glad  when  I  got  your  letter,  for  active  service 
will  be  a  distraction  to  my  sorrow.  We  have  ever  been 
together,  Geoffrey  and  I,  and  I  feel  like  one  lost  without 
him.  You  have  not  had  much  fighting  here,  I  think, 
since  I  have  been  away  ?  " 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  167 

"  No,  indeed  ;  you  have  been  far  more  lucky  than  I 
have,"  Francis  Vere  said.  "  With  the  exception  of  the 
fight  with  the  San  Matteo  I  have  been  idle  ever  since  I 
saw  you,  for  not  a  shot  has  been  fired  here,  while  you  have 
been  taking  part  in  the  great  fight  for  the  very  existence  of 
our  country.  It  is  well  that  Parma  has  been  wasting  nine 
months  at  Dunkirk,  for  it  would  have  gone  hard  with  us- 
had  he  marched  hither  instead  of  waiting  there  for  the 
arrival  of  the  Armada.  Our  force  here  has  fallen  away  to 
well-nigh  nothing.  The  soldiers  could  get  no  pay,  and 
were  almost  starved  ;  their  clothes  were  so  ragged  that  it 
was  pitiful  to  see  them.  Great  numbers  have  died,  and 
more  gone  back  to  England.  As  to  the  Dutch  they  are 
more  occupied  in  quarreling  with  us  than  in  preparing 
for  defense,  and  they  would  right  willingly  see  us  go  so 
that  we  did  but  deliver  Flushing  and  Brill  and  this  town 
back  again  to  them.  I  was  truly  glad  when  I  heard  that 
Parma  had  broken  up  his  camp  at  Dunkirk  when  the 
Armada  sailed  away,  and  was  marching  hither.  Now  that 
he  has  come,  it  may  be  that  these  wretched  disputes  will 
come  to  an  end,  and  that  something  like  peace  and  har 
mony  will  prevail  in  our  councils.  He  could  not  have 
done  better,  as  far  as  we  are  concerned,  than  in  coming  to 
knock  his  head  against  these  walls  ;  for  Bergen  is  far  too 
strong  for  him  to  take,  and  he  will  assuredly  meet  with  no 
success  here  such  as  would  counterbalance  in  any  way  the 
blow  that  Spanish  pride  has  suffered  in  the  defeat  of  the 
Armada.  I  think,  Lionel,  that  you  have  outgrown  your 
pageship,  and  since  you  have  been  fighting  as  a  gentleman 
volunteer  in  Drake's  fleet  you  had  best  take  the  same  rank 
here." 

The  siege  went  on  but  slowly.  Vigorous  sorties  were 
made,  and  the  cavalry  sometimes  sallied  out  from  the  gates 
and  made  excursions  as  far  as  Wouw,  a  village  three  miles 
away,  and  took  many  prisoners.  Among  these  were  two 
commissaries  of  ordinance,  who  were  intrusted  to  the  safe 


168  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

keeping  of  the  Deputy-Provost  Redhead.  They  were  not 
strictly  kept,  and  were  allowed  to  converse  with  the  pro 
vost's  friends.  One  of  these,  William  Grimeston,  suspected 
that  one  of  the  commissaries,  who  pretended  to  be  an  Ital 
ian,  was  really  an  English  deserter  who  had  gone  over  with 
the  traitor  Stanley ;  and  in  order  to  see  if  his  suspicions 
were  correct,  pretended  that  he  was  dissatisfied  with  his 
position  and  would  far  rather  be  fighting  on  the  other 
side.  The  man  at  once  fell  into  the  trap,  acknowledged 
that  he  was  an  Englishman,  and  said  that  if  Grimestou 
and  Redhead  would  but  follow  his  advice  they  would  soon 
become  rich  men,  for  that  if  they  could  arrange  to  give  up 
one  of  the  forts  to  Parma  they  would  be  magnificently  re 
warded. 

Redhead  and  Grimeston  pretended  to  agree,  but  at  once 
informed  Lord  Willoughby,  who  was  in  command,  of  the 
offer  that  had  been  made  to  them.  They  were  ordered  to 
continue  their  negotiations  with  the  traitor.  The  latter 
furnished  them  with  letters  to  Stanley  and  Parma,  and 
with  these  they  made  their  way  out  of  the  town  at  night 
to  the  Spanish  camp.  They  had  an  interview  with  the 
duke,  and  promised  to  deliver  the  north  water  fort  over  to 
him,  for  which  service  Redhead  was  to  receive  1200  crowns 
and  Grimeston  700  crowns,  and  a  commission  in  Stanley's 
regiment  of  traitors. 

Stanley  himself  entertained  them  in  his  tent,  and  Parma 
presented  them  with  two  gold  chains.  They  then  returned 
to  Bergen  and  related  all  that  had  taken  place  to  Lord 
Willoughby.  The  matter  was  kept  a  profound  secret  in 
the  town,  Francis  Vere,  who  was  in  command  of  the  north 
fort,  and  a  few  others  only  being  made  acquainted  ;vith 
what  was  going  on. 

On  the  appointed  night,  22d  of  October,  Grimeston  went 
out  alone,  Redhead's  supposed  share  of  the  business  being 
to  open  the  gates  of  the  fort.  When  Grimeston  arrived  at 
Parma's  camp  he  found  that  the  Spaniards  had  become 


BY  ENGLAND  »S  AID.  169 

suspicious.  He  was  bound  and  placed  in  charge  of  a 
Spanish  captain,  who  was  ordered  to  stab  him  at  once  if 
*•  there  was  any  sign  of  treachery.  It  was  a  dark  night ;  the 
tide  was  out,  for  the  land  over  which  the  Spaniards  had 
to  advance  was  flooded  at  other  times.  The  attacking 
column  consisted  of  three  thousand  men,  including 
Stanley's  regiment ;  and  a  number  of  knights  and  nobles 
accompanied  it  as  volunteers. 

As  they  approached  the  forts — Grimeston  in  front  closely 
guarded  by  the  Spanish  captain — it  was  seen  by  the  assail 
ants  that  Redhead  had  kept  his  word  :  the  drawbridge 
across  the  moat  was  down  and  the  portcullis  was  up. 
Within  the  fort  Lord  Willoughby,  Vere,  and  two  thousand 
men  were  waiting  them.  When  about  fifty  had  crossed 
the  drawbridge  the  portcullis  was  suddenly  let  fall  and 
the  drawbridge  hauled  up.  As  the  portcullis  thundered 
down  Grimeston  tripped  up  the  surprised  Spaniard,  and, 
leaping  into  the  water,  managed  to  make  his  way  to  the  foot 
of  the  walls.  A  discharge  of  musketry  and  artillery  from 
the  fort  killed  a  hundred  and  fifty  of  the  attacking  party, 
while  those  who  had  crossed  the  drawbridge  were  all  either 
killed  or  taken  prisoners.  But  the  water  in  the  moat  was 
low.  The  Spaniards  gallantly  waded  across  and  attacked 
the  palisades,  but  were  repulsed  in  their  endeavor  to  climb 
them.  While  the  fight  was  going  on  the  water  in  the  moat 
"was  rising,  and  scores  were  washed  away  and  drowned  as 
they  attempted  to  return. 

Parma  continued  the  siege  for  some  little  time,  but  made 
no  real  attempt  to  take  the  place  after  having  been  re 
pulsed  at  the  north  fort ;  and  on  the  12th  of  November 
broke  up  his  camp  and  returned  to  Brussels. 

After  the  siege  was  over  Lord  Willoughby  knighted 
twelve  of  his  principal  officers,  foremost  among  whom  was 
Francis  Vere,  who  was  now  sent  home  with  despatches  by 
his  general,  and  remained  in  England  until  the  end  of  Jan 
uary,  when  he  was  appointed  sergeant-major-general  of  the 


170  BY  ENGLAND ' S  AID. 

forces,  a  post  of  great  responsibility  and  much  honor,  by 
Lord  Willoughby,  with  the  full  approval  of  the  queen's 
government.  He  was  accompanied  on  his  return  by  his 
brother  Robert. 

A  month  after  Sir  Francis  Vere's  return  Lord  Wil 
loughby  left  for  England,  and  the  whole  burden  of  opera 
tions  in  the  field  fell  upon  Vere.  His  first  trouble  arose 
from  the  mutinous  conduct  of  the  garrison  of  Gertruyden- 
berg.  This  was  an  important  town  on  the  banks  of  the 
old  Maas,  and  was  strongly  fortified,  one  side  being  pro 
tected  by  the  Maas  while  the  river  Douge  swept  round  two 
other  sides  of  its  walls.  Its  governor,  Count  Hohenlohe, 
had  been  unpopular,  the  troops  had  received  no  pay,  and 
there  had  been  a  partial  mutiny  before  the  siege  of  Bergen- 
op-Zoom  began.  This  was  appeased  by  the  appointment 
of  Sir  John  Wingfield,  Lord  Willoughby's  brother-in-law, 
as  its  governor. 

In  the  winter  the  discontent  broke  out  again.  The  sol 
diers  had  been  most  unjustly  treated  by  the  States,  and 
there  were  long  arrears  of  pay,  and  at  first  Sir  John  AVing- 
field  espoused  the  cause  of  the  men.  Sir  Francis  Vere 
tried  in  vain  to  arrange  matters.  The  Dutch  authorities 
would  not  pay  up  the  arrears,  the  men  would  not  return 
to  their  duty  until  they  did  so,  and  at  last  became  so  ex 
asperated  that  they  ceased  to  obey  their  governor  and 
opened  communications  with  the  enemy.  Prince  Maurice, 
who  was  now  thr°e  and  twenty  years  old,  and  devoted  to 
martial  pursuits  and  the  cause  of  his  countrymen,  after 
consultation  with  Sir  Francis  Vere,  laid  siege  to  the  town 
and  made  a  furious  assault  upon  it  on  the  water  side.  But 
the  Dutch  troops,  although  led  by  Count  Solms  and  Count 
Philip  of  Nassau,  were  repulsed  with  great  loss.  The 
prince  then  promised  not  only  a  pardon,  but  that  the  de 
mands  of  the  garrison  should  be  complied  with  ;  but  it 
was  too  late,  and  four  days  later  Gertruydenberg  was  de 
livered  up  by  the  mutineers  to  the  Duke  of  Parma,  thi 


B  T  ENGLA  ND '  S  AID.  171 

soldiers  being  received  into  the  Spanish  service,  while 
Wingfield  and  the  officers  were  permitted  to  retire. 

The  States  were  furious,  as  this  was  the  third  city  com 
manded  by  Englishmen  that  had  been  handed  over  to  the 
enemy.  Tho  bad  feeling  excited  by  the  treachery  of  Sir 
William  Stanley  and  Roland  Yorke  at  Deventer  and  Zut- 
phen  had  died  out  after  the  gallant  defense  of  the  English 
at  Sluys,  but  now  broke  out  again  afresh,  and  charges  of 
treachery  were  brought  not  only  against  Wingfield  but 
against  many  other  English  officers,  including  Sir  Francis 
Vere.  The  queen,  however,  wrote  so  indignantly  to  the 
States  that  they  had  to  withdraw  their  charges  against 
most  of  the  English  officers. 

In  May  Lord  Willoughby,  who  was  still  in  London, 
resigned  his  command.  A  number  of  old  officers  of  dis 
tinction  who  might  have  laid  claims  to  succeed  him,  among 
them  Sir  John  Norris,  Sir  Roger  "Williams,  Sir  Thomas 
Wilford,  Sir  William  Drury,  Sir  Thomas  Baskerville,  and 
Sir  John  Burrough,  were  withdrawn  from  the  Netherlands 
to  serve  in  France  or  Ireland,  and  no  general-in-chief  or 
lieutenant-general  was  appointed,  Sir  Francis  Vere  as  ser 
geant-major  receiving  authority  to  command  all  soldiers 
already  in  the  field  or  bo  be  sent  out  during  the  absence  of 
the  general  and  lieutenant-general.  His  official  title  was 
Her  Majesty's  Sergeant-major  in  the  Field.  The  garrisons 
in  the  towns  were  under  the  command  of  their  own  gov 
ernors,  and  those  could  supply  troops  for  service  in  the 
field  according  to  their  discretion. 

The  appointment  of  so  young  a  man  as  Sir  Francis  Vere 
to  a  post  demanding  not  only  military  ability  but  great 
tact  and  diplomatic  power,  was  abundant  proof  of  the  high 
estimate  formed  of  him  by  the  queen  and  her  counselors. 
Tho  position  was  one  of  extreme  difficulty.  He  had  to 
keep  on  good  terms  with  the  queen  and  her  government, 
with  the  government  of  the  States,  the  English  agent  at 
the  Hague,  Prince  Maurice  in  command  of  the  army  of 


172  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

the  Netherlands,  tlie  English  governors  of  the  towns,  ;;nd 
the  officers  or  men  of  the  force  under  his  own  command. 
Fortunately  Barneveldt,  who  at  that  time  was  the  most 
prominent  man  in  the  States,  had  a  high  opinion  of  Vere. 
Sir  Thomas  Bodley,  the  queen's  agent,  had  much  confi 
dence  in  him,  and  acted  with  him  most  cordially,  and 
Prince  Maurice  entertained  a  great  respect  for  him,  con 
sulted  him  habitually  in  all  military  matters,  and  placed  him 
in  the  position  of  marshal  of  the  camp  of  the  army  of  the 
Netherlands,  in  addition  to  his  own  command  of  the  Eng. 
ish  portion  of  that  army. 

Vere's  first  undertaking  was  to  lead  a  force  of  12,OCG 
men,  of  whom  half  were  English,  to  prevent  Count  Mans- 
f elt  from  crossing  the  Maas  with  an  army  of  equal  strength. 
Prince  Maurice  was  present  in  person  as  general-iu-chief. 
Intrenchments  were  thrown  up  and  artillery  planted  -,  but 
just  as  Mansfelt  was  preparing  to  cross  his  troops  mut 
inied,  and  he  was  obliged  to  fall  back. 

In  October,  with  900  of  his  own  troops  and  twelve  com 
panies  of  Dutch  horse,  Sir  Francis  Vere  succeeded  in 
throwing  a  convoy  of  provisions  into  the  town  of  Ehein- 
berg,  which  was  besieged  by  a  lar^e  force  of  the  enemy. 
As  soon  as  he  returned  the  States  requested  him  to  en 
deavor  to  throw  in  another  conv  y,  as  Count  Mansfelt 
was  marching  to  swell  the  force  of  he  besiegers,  and  after 
his  arrival  it  would  be  well-nigh  impossible  to  send  further 
aid  into  the  town.  Vere  took  with  him  900  English  and  900 
Dutch  infantry,  and  800  Dutch  cavalry.  The  enemy  had 
possession  of  a  fortified  country  house  called  Loo,  close  to 
which  lay  a  thick  wood  traversed  only  by  a  narrow  path, 
with  close  undergrowth  and  swampy  ground  on  either  side. 
The  enemy  were  in  great  force  around  Loo,  and  came  out 
to  attack  the  expedition  as  it  passed  through  the  wood. 
Sending  the  Dutch  troops  on  first,  Vere  attacked  the 
enemy  vigorously  with  his  infantry  and  drove  them  back 
to  the  inclosnre  of  Loo.  As  soon  as  his  whole  force  had 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  173 

crosed  the  wood,  he  halted  them  and  ordered  them  to 
form  in  line  of  battle  facing  the  wood  through  which  they 
had  just  passed,  and  from  which  the  enemy  were  now 
pouring  out  in  great  force. 

In  order  to  give  time  to  his  troops  to  prepare  for  the 
action  Vere  took  half  his  English  infantry  and  advanced 
against  them.  They  moved  forward,  and  a  stubborn  fight 
took  place  between  the  pikemen.  Vere's  horse  was  killed, 
and  fell  on  him,  so  that  he  could  not  rise  ;  but  the  Eng 
lish  closed  round  him,  and  he  was  rescued  with  no  other 
harm  than  a  bruised  leg  and  several  pike-thrusts  through 
his  clothes.  While  the  conflict  between  the  pikemen  was 
going  on  the  English  arquebusiers  opened  fire  on  the  flank 
of  the  enemy,  and  they  began  to  fall  back.  Four  times  they 
rallied  and  charged  the  English,  but  were  at  last  broken 
and  scattered  through  the  wood.  The  cavalry  stationed 
there  left  their  horses  and  fled  through  the  undergrowth. 
Pressing  forward  the  little  English  force  next  fell  upon 
twenty-four  companies  of  Neapolitan  infantry,  who  were 
defeated  without  difficulty.  The  four  hundred  and  fifty 
Englishmen  then  joined  the  main  force,  which  marched 
triumphantly  with  their  convoy  of  provisions  into  Rhein- 
berg,  and  the  next  morning  fortunately  turning  thick  and 
foggy  the  force  made  its  way  back  without  interruption 
by  the  enemy. 


174  B  T  ENGLAND '  S  AID, 


CHAPTER  XI. 

IX   SPAIN. 

ALONE  among  the  survivors  of  the  great  Spanish  Armada, 
Geoffrey  Vickars  saw  the  coast  of  Ireland  fade  away  from 
sight  without  a  feeling  of  satisfaction  or  relief.  His  hope 
had  been  that  the  ship  would  be  wrecked  on  her  progress 
down  the  coast.  He  knew  not  that  the  wild  Irish  were 
slaying  all  whom  the  sea  spared,  and  that  ignorant  as  they 
were  of  the  English  tongue,  he  would  undoubtedly  have 
shared  the  fate  of  his  Spanish  companions.  He  thought 
only  of  the  risk  of  being  drowned,  and  would  have  pre 
ferred  taking  this  to  the  certainty  of  a  captivity  perhaps 
for  life  in  the  Spanish  prisons.  The  part  that  he  had 
played  since  he  had  been  picked  up  off  Graveliue  could 
not  be  sustained  indefinitely.  He  might  as  well  spend  his 
life  in  prison,  where  at  least  there  would  be  some  faint 
hope  of  being  exchanged,  as  wander  about  Spain  all  his 
life  as  an  imbecile  beggar. 

As  soon,  therefore,  as  he  saw  that  the  perils  of  the  coast 
of  Ireland  were  passed,  and  that  the  vessel  was  likely  to 
reach  Spain  in  safety,  he  determined  that  he  would  on 
reaching  a  port  disclose  his  real  identity.  There  were  on 
board  several  Scotch  and  Irish  volunteers,  and  he  decided 
to  throw  himself  upon  the  pity  of  one  of  these  rather  than 
on  that  of  the  Spaniards.  He  did  not  think  that  in  any 
case  his  life  was  in  danger.  Had  he  been  detected  when 
first  picked  up,  or  during  the  early  part  of  the  voyage,  he 
would  doubtless  have  been  thrown  overboard  without 
mercy  ;  but  now  that  the  passion  of  the  combatants  had 


B  F  ENGLAND 'S  AID.  175 

subsided,  and  that  he  had  been  so  long  among  them,  and 
had,  as  he  believed,  won  the  good-will  of  many  by  the  as 
sistance  he  had  rendered  to  the  sick  and  wounded,  he 
thought  that  there  was  little  fear  of  his  life  being  taken  in 
cold  blood. 

One  of  the  Irish  volunteers,  Gerald  Burke  by  name,  had 
for  a  long  time  been  seriously  ill,  and  Geoffrey  had  in  many 
small  ways  shown  him  kindness  as  he  lay  helpless  on  the 
deck,  and  he  determined  finally  to  confide  in  him. 
Although  still  very  weak,  Burke  was  now  convalescent, 
and  was  sitting  alone  by  the  poop-rail  gazing  upon  the 
coast  of  Spain  with  eager  eyes,  when  Geoffrey,  under  the 
pretext  of  coiling  down  a  rope,  approached  him.  The 
young  man  nodded  kindly  to  him. 

"  Our  voyage  is  nearly  over,  my  poor  lad,"  he  said  in 
Spanish,  "  and  your  troubles  now  will  be  worse  than  mine. 
You  have  given  me  many  a  drink  of  water  from  your 
scanty  supply,  and  I  wish  that  I  could  do  something  for 
you  in  return ;  but  I  know  that  you  do  not  even  under 
stand  what  I  say  to  you." 

"  "Would  you  give  me  an  opportunity  of  speaking  to  you 
after  nightfall,  Mr.  Burke/'  Geoffrey  said  in  English, 
"  when  no  one  will  notice  us  speaking  ?  " 

The  Irishman  gave  a  start  of  astonishment  at  hearing 
himself  addressed  in  English. 

"  My  life  is  in  your  hands,  sir  ;  pray,  do  not  betray 
me/'  Geoffrey  said  rapidly  as  he  went  on  coiling  down  the 
rope. 

"  I  will  be  at  this  place  an  hour  after  nightfall,"  the 
young  Irishman  replied  when  he  recovered  from  his  sur 
prise.  "Your  secret  will  be  safe  with  me." 

At  the  appointed  time  Geoffrey  returned  to  the  spot. 
The  decks  were  now  deserted,  for  a  drizzling  rain  was 
falling,  and  all  save  those  on  duty  had  retired  below, 
happy  in  the  thought  that  on  the  following  morning  they 
would  be  in  port. 


176  ST  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

"  Now,  tell  me  who  you  are,"  the  young  Irishman  be 
gan.     "  I  thought  you  were  a  Spanish  sailor,  one  of  those 
we  picked  up  when  the  Spanish  galleon  next  to  us  found 
ered.  " 

Geoffrey  then  told  him  how  he  had  been  knocked  off  an 
English  ship  by  the  fall  of  a  mast,  had  swum  to  the  gal 
leon  and  taken  refuge  beneath  her  bowsprit  until  she  sank, 
and  how,  when  picked  up  and  carried  on  to  the  Spanish 
ship,  he  feigned  to  have  lost  his  senses  in  order  to  con 
ceal  his  ignorance  of  Spanish. 

"I  knew,"  he  said,  "  that  were  I  recognized  as  English 
at  the  time  I  should  at  once  be  killed,  but  I  thought  that 
if  I  could  conceal  who  I  was  for  a  time  I  should  simply  be 
sent  to  the  galleys,  where  I  have  heard  that  there  are 
many  English  prisoners  working." 

"  I  think  death  would  have  been  preferable  to  that  lot," 
Mr.  Burke  said. 

"  Yes,  sir  ;  but  there  is  always  the  hope  of  escape  or  of 
exchange.  When  you  spoke  kindly  to  me  this  afternoon 
I  partly  understood  what  you  said,  for  in  this  long  time 
I  have  been  on  board  I  have  come  to  understand  a  little 
Spanish,  and  I  thought  that  maybe  you  would  assist  me 
In  some  way." 

(l  I  would  gladly  do  so,  though  I  regard  Englishmen  as 
the  enemies  of  my  country ;  but  in  what  way  can  I  help 
you  ?  I  could  furnish  you  with  a  disguise,  but  your  ig 
norance  of  Spanish  would  lead  to  your  detection  im 
mediately." 

"  I  have  been  thinking  it  over,  sir,  and  it  seemed  to  me 
that  as  there  will  be  no  objection  to  my  landing  to-morrow, 
thinking  as  they  do  that  I  have  lost  my  senses,  I  might 
join  you  after  you  once  got  out  of  the  town.  I  have  some 
money  in  my  waistbelt,  and  if  you  would  purchase  some 
clothes  for  me  I  might  then  join  you  as  your  servant  as 
you  ride  along.  At  the  next  town  you  come  to  none 
would  know  but  that  I  had  been  in  your  service  during 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  177 

the  voyage,  and  there  would  be  nothing  strange  in  you, 
an  Irish  gentleman,  being  accompanied  by  an  Irish  ser 
vant  who  spoke  but  little  Spanish.  I  would  serve  you 
faithfully,  sir,  until  perhaps  some  opportunity  might 
occur  for  my  making  my  escape  to  England." 

"  Yes,  I  think  that  might  be  managed,"  the  young 
Irishman  said.  "  When  I  land  to-morrow  I  will  buy 
some  clothes  suitable  for  a  serving-man.  I  do  not  know 
the  names  of  the  hotels  on  shore,  so  you  must  watch  me 
when  I  land  and  see  where  I  put  up.  Come  there  in  the 
evening  at  nine  o'clock.  I  will  issue  out  and  give  you  the 
bundle  of  clothes,  and  tell  you  at  what  hour  in  the  morn 
ing  I  have  arranged  to  start.  I  will  hire  two  horses  ; 
when  they  come  round  to  the  door,  join  me  in  front  of  the 
hotel  and  busy  yourself  in  packing  my  trunks  on  the  bag 
gage  mules.  When  you  have  done  that,  mount  the 
second  horse  and  ride  after  me  ;  the  people  who  will  go 
witli  us  with  the  horses  will  naturally  suppose  that  you 
have  landed  with  me.  Should  any  of  our  shipmates  here 
see  us  start,  it  is  not  likely  that  they  will  recognize  you. 
If  they  do  so,  I  need  simply  say  that  as  you  had  shown 
me  such  kindness  on  board  ship  I  had  resolved  to  take 
you  with  me  to  Madrid  in  order  to  see  if  anything  could 
be  done  to  restore  you  to  reason.  However,  it  is  better 
that  yon  should  keep  in  the  background  as  much  as  pos 
sible.  I  will  arrange  to  start  at  so  early  an  hour  in  the 
morning  that  none  of  those  who  may  land  with  me  from 
the  ship,  and  may  put  up  at  the  same  inn,  are  likely  to  be 
about." 

The  next  morning  the  vessel  entered  port.  They  were 
soon  surrounded  by  boats  full  of  people  inquiring  anxious 
ly  for  news  of  other  ships,  and  for  friends  and  acquain 
tances  on  board.  Presently  large  boats  were  sent  off  by 
the  authorities,  and  the  disembarkation  of  the  sick  and 
the  helpless  began.  This  indeed  included  the  greater  por 
tion  of  the  survivors,  for  there  were  ^*  +"*o  or  th™°  -~^ra 

12 


178  BY  ENGLAND1  S  AID. 

on  board  who  were  capable  of  dragging  themselves  about, 
the  rest  being  completely  prostrate  by  disease,  exhaustion, 
hunger,  and  thirst.  Geoffrey  was  about  to  descend  into 
one  of  the  boats,  when  the  officer  in  command  said  rough 
ly  :  "  Remain  on  board  and  do  your  work,  there  is  no 
need  for  your  going  into  the  hospital."  One  of  the  ship's 
officers,  however,  explained  that  the  lad  had  altogether 
lost  his  senses,  and  was  unable  either  to  understand  when 
spoken  to  or  to  reply  to  questions.  Consequently  he  was 
permitted  to  take  his  place  in  the  boat. 

As  soon  as  he  stepped  ashore  he  wandered  away  among 
the  spectators.  A  woman,  observing  his  wan  face  and 
feeble  walk,  called  him  into  her  house,  and  set  food  and 
wine  before  him.  He  made  a  hearty  meal,  but  only  shook 
his  head  when  she  addressed  him,  and  laughed  childishly 
and  muttered  his  thanks  in  Spanish  when  she  bestowed  a 
dollar  upon  him  as  he  left.  He  watched  at  the  port  while 
boat-load  after  boat-load  of  sick  came  ashore,  until  at 
last  one  containing  the  surviving  officers  and  gentlemen 
with  their  baggage  reached  the  land.  Then  he  kept  Ger 
ald  Burke  in  sight  until  he  entered  an  inn,  followed  by 
two  men  carrying  his  baggage.  Several  times  during  the 
day  food  and  money  were  offered  him,  the  inhabitants 
being  full  of  horror  and  pity  at  the  sight  of  the  famishing 
survivors  of  the  crew  of  the  galleon. 

At  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening  Geoffrey  took  up  his 
station  near  the  door  of  the  inn.  A  few  minutes  later 
Gerald  Burke  came  out  with  a  bundle.  '  •'  Here  are  the 
clothes/'  he  said.  "  I  have  hired  horses  for  our  journey 
to  Madrid.  They  will  be  at  the  door  at  six  o'clock  in  the 
morning.  I  have  arranged  to  travel  by  very  short  stages, 
for  at  first  neither  you  nor  I  could  sit  very  long  upon  a 
horse  ;  however,  I  hope  we  shall  soon  gain  strength  as  we 

go."    ' 

Taking  the  bundle,  Geoffrey  walked  a  short  distance 
from  the  town  and  lay  down  upon  the  ground  under  some 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  179 

trees.  The  night  was  a  warm  one,  and  after  the  bitter 
^cold  they  had  suffered  during  the  greater  part  of  the  voy 
age,  it  felt  almost  sultry  to  him.  At  daybreak  in  the 
morning  he  rose,  put  on  the  suit  of  clothes  Gerald  Burke 
had  provided,  washed  his  face  in  a  little  stream,  and  pro 
ceeded  to  the  inn.  He  arrived  there  just  as  the  clocks 
were  striking  six.  A  few  minutes  later  two  men  with 
two  horses  and  four  mules  came  up  to  the  door,  and 
shortly  afterwards  Gerald  Burke  came  out.  Geoffrey  at 
once  joined  him  ;  the  servants  of  the  inn  brought  out  the 
baggage,  which  was  fastened  by  the  muleteers  on  two  of 
the  animals.  Gerald  Burke  mounted  one  of  the  horses 
and  Geoffrey  the  other,  and  at  once  rode  on,  the  muleteers 
mounting  the  other  two  mules  and  following  with  those 
carrying  the  baggage. 

"  That  was  well  managed/'  Gerald  Burke  said  as  they 
rode  out  of  the  town.  "  The  muleteers  can  have  no  idea 
that  you  have  but  just  joined  me,  and  there  is  little  chance 
of  any  of  my  comrades  on  board  ship  overtaking  us,  as  all 
intend  to  stop  for  a  few  days  to  recruit  themselves  before 
going  on.  If  they  did  they  would  not  be  likely  to  recog 
nize  you  in  your  present  attire,  or  to  suspect  that  my  Irish 
servant  is  the  crazy  boy  of  the  ship." 

After  riding  at  an  easy  pace  for  two  hours,  they  halted 
under  the  shade  of  some  trees.  Fruit,  bread,  and  wine 
were  produced  from  a  wallet  on  one  of  the  mules,  and 
they  sat  down  and  breakfasted.  After  a  halt  of  an  hour 
they  rode  on  until  noon,  when  they  again  halted  until 
four  in  the  afternoon,  for  the  sun  was  extremely  hot,  and 
both  Gerald  Burke  and  Geoffrey  were  so  weak  they  scarce 
could  sit  their  horses.  Two  hours  further  riding  took 
them  to  a  large  village,  where  they  put  up  at  the  inn. 
Geoffrey  now  fell  into  his  place  as  Mr.  Burke's  servant — 
Baw  to  the  baggage  being  taken  inside,  and  began  for  the 
first  time  to  try  his  tongue  at  Spanish.  He  got  on  better 
than  he  had  expected ;  and  as  Mr.  Burke  spoke  with  a 


180  BY  ENGLAND'S  ATD. 

gootl  deal  of  foreign  accent,  i*  did  not  seem  in  any  way 
singular  to  the  people  of  the  inn  that  his  servant  should 
speak  but  little  of  the  language. 

Quietly  they  journeyed  on,  doing  but  short  distances  for 
the  first  three  or  four  days,  but  as  they  gained  strength 
pushing  on  faster,  and  by  the  time  they  reached  Madrid 
both  were  completely  recovered  from  the  effects  of  their 
voyage.  Madrid  was  in  mourning,  for  there  was  scarce  a 
family  but  had  lost  relations  in  the  Armada.  Mr.  Burke 
at  once  took  lodgings  and  installed  Geoffrey  as  his  servant. 
He  had  many  friends  and  acquaintances  in  the  city,  where 
he  had  been  residing  for  upwards  of  a  year  previous  to  the 
sailing  of  the  Armada. 

For  some  weeks  Geoffrey  went  out  but  little,  spending 
his  time  in  reading  Spanish  books  and  mastering  the 
language  as  much  as  possible.  He  always  conversed  in 
that  language  with  Mr.  Burke,  and  at  the  end  of  six  weeks 
was  able  to  talk  Spanish  with  some  fluency.  He  now  gen 
erally  accompanied  Mr.  Burke  if  he  went  out,  following 
him  in  the  streets  and  standing  behind  his  chair  when  he 
dined  abroad.  He  was  much  amused  at  all  he  saw,  making 
many  acquaintances  among  the  lackeys  of  Mr.  Burke's 
friends,  dining  with  them  downstairs  after  the  banquets 
were  over,  and  often  meeting  them  of  an  evening  when 
he  had  nothing  to  do,  and  going  with  them  to  places  of 
entertainment. 

In  this  way  his  knowledge  of  Spanish  improved  rapidly, 
and  although  he  still  spoke  with  an  accent  he  could  pass 
well  as  one  who  had  been  for  some  years  in  the  country. 
He  was  now  perfectly  at  ease  with  the  Spanish  gentlemen  oi' 
Mr.  Burke's  acquaintance.  It  was  only  when  Irish  and 
Scotch  friends  called  upon  his  master  that  he  feared 
awkward  questions,  and  upon  these  occasions  he  showed 
himself  as  little  as  possible.  When  alone  with  Gerald 
Burke  the  latter  always  addressed  Geoffrey  as  a  friend 
rather  +Har»  «•=  »,  servant,  and  made  no  secret  with  hiu>  °  ' 


BY  ENGLAND1  S  AID.  181 

to  his  position  and  means.  He  had  been  concerned  in  a 
rising  in  Ireland,  and  had  fled  the  country,  bringing  with 
him  a  fair  amount  of  resources.  Believing  that  the 
Armada  was  certain  to  be  crowned  with  success,  and  that 
he  should  ere  long  be  restored  to  his  estates  in  Ireland,  he 
had,  upon  his  first  coming  to  Spain,  spent  his  money 
freely.  His  outfit  for  the  expedition  had  made  a  large 
inroad  upon  his  store,  and  his  resources  were  now  nearly 
at  an  end. 

"  What  is  one  to  do,  Geoffrey  ?  I  don't  want  to  take  a 
commission  in  Philip's  army,  though  my  friends  could 
obtain  one  for  me  at  once  ;  but  I  have  no  desire  to  spend 
the  rest  of  my  life  in  the  Netherlands  storming  the  towns 
of  the  Dutch  burghers." 

"  Or  rather  trying  to  storm  them,"  Geoffrey  said,  smil 
ing  ;  "  there  have  not  been  many  towns  taken  of  late 
years." 

"Nor  should  I  greatly  prefer  to  be  campaigning  in 
France,"  Gerald  went  on,  paying  no  attention  to  the 
interruption.  "  I  have  no  love  either  for  Dutch  Calvinists 
or  French  Huguenots ;  but  I  have  no  desire  either  to  be 
cutting  their  throats  or  for  them  to  be  cutting  mine.  I 
should  like  a  snug  berth  under  the  crown  here  or  at  Cadiz, 
or  at  Seville  ;  but  I  see  no  chance  whatever  of  my  obtain 
ing  one.  I  cannot  take  up  the  trade  of  a  footpad,  though 
disbanded  soldiers  turned  robbers  are  common  enough  in 
Spain.  What  is  to  be  done  ?  " 

"  If  I  am  not  mistaken,"  Geoffrey  said  with  a  smile, 
"your  mind  is  already  made  up.  It  is  not  quite  bv  ac 
cident,  that  you  are  in  the  gardens  of  the  Eetiro  every 
evening,  and  that  a  few  words  are  always  exchanged  with 
a  certain  young  lady  as  she  passes  with  her  duenna." 

"Oh!  you  have  observed  that,"  Gerald  Burke  replied 
with  a  laugh.  "  Your  eyes  are  sharper  than  I  gave  you 
credit  for,  Master  Geoffrey.  Yes,  that  would  set  me  on 
m.Y  legs  without  doubt,  for  Donna  Inez  is  the  only 


182  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

daughter  and  heiress  of  the  Marquis  of  Ribaldo  ;  but  you 
Bee  there  is  a  father  in  the  case,  and  if  that  father  had  the 
slightest  idea  that  plain  Gerald  Burke  was  lifting  his  eyes 
to  his  daughter  it  would  not  be  many  hours  before  Gerald 
Burke  had  several  inches  of  steel  in  his  body." 

' '  That  I  can  imagine/'  Geoffrey  said,  "  since  it  is,  as  I 
learn  from  my  acquaintances  among  the  lackeys,  a  matter 
of  common  talk  that  the  marquis  intends  to  marry  her  to 
the  son  of  the  Duke  of  Sottomayor." 

"  Inez  hates  him,"  Gerald  Burke  said.  "It  is  just  like 
my  ill-luck,  that  instead  of  being  drowned  as  most  of  the 
others  were,  he  has  had  the  luck  to  get  safely  back  again. 
However,  he  is  still  ill,  and  likely  to  be  so  for  some  time. 
He  was  not  so  accustomed  to  starving  as  some  of  us,  and 
he  suffered  accordingly.  He  is  down  at  his  estates  near 
Seville." 

"  But  what  do  you  think  of  doing  ?  "  Geoffrey  asked. 

"  That  is  just  what  I  am  asking  you." 

"It  seems  to  me,  certainly,"  Geoffrey  went  on,  "that 
•unless  you  really  mean  to  run  off  with  the  young  lady — 
for  I  suppose  there  is  no  chance  in  the  world  of  your 
marrying  her  in  any  other  way — it  will  be  better  both  for 
you  and  her  that  you  should  avoid  for  the  future  these 
meetings  in  the  gardens  or  elsewhere,  and  cast  your 
thoughts  in  some  other  direction  for  the  bettering  of  your 
fortunes." 

"  That  is  most  sage  advice,  Geoffrey,"  the  young  Irish 
man  laughed,  "  and  worthy  of  my  father-confessor  ;  but  it 
is  not  so  easy  to  follow.  In  the  first  place,  I  must  tell  you 
that  I  do  not  regard  Inez  as  in  any  way  a  step  to  fortune, 
but  rather  as  a  step  towards  a  dungeon.  It  would  be 
vastly  better  for  us  both  if  she  were  the  daughter  of  some 
poor  hidalgo  like  myself.  I  could  settle  down  then  with 
her,  and  plant  vines  and  make  wine,  and  sell  what  I  don't 
drink  myself.  As  it  is,  I  have  the  chance  of  being  put 
out  of  the  way  if  it  is  discovered  that  Inez  and  I  are  fond  of 


B  Y  ENGLAND '  8  AID.  188 

each  other  ;  and  in  the  next  place,  if  we  do  marry  I  shall 
jbave  to  get  her  safely  out  of  the  kingdom,  or  else  she  will 
have  to  pass  the  rest  of  her  life  in  a  convent,  and  I  the 
rest  of  mine  in  a  prison  or  in  the  galleys  ;  that  is  if  I  am 
not  killed  as  soon  as  caught,  which  is  by  far  the  most 
likely  result.  Obnoxious  sons-in-law  do  not  lire  long  iu 
Spain.  So  you  see,  Geoffrey,  the  prospect  is  a  bad  one 
altogether  ;  and  if  it  were  not  that  I  dearly  love  Inez,  and 
that  I  am  sure  she  will  be  unhappy  with  Philip  of  Sotto- 
niayor,  I  would  give  the  whole  thing  up,  and  make  love  to 
the  daughter  of  some  comfortable  citizen  who  would  give 
me  a  corner  of  his  house  and  a  seat  at  his  table  for  the 
rest  of  my  days." 

"  But,  seriously — "  Geoffrey  began. 

"  Well,  seriously,  Geoffrey,  my  intention  is  to  run  away 
with  Inez  if  it  can  be  managed  ;  but  how  it  is  to  be  man 
aged  at  present  I  have  not  the  faintest  idea.  To  begin 
with,  the  daughter  of  a  Spanish  grandee  is  always  kept  in  a 
very  strong  cage  closely  guarded,  and  it  needs  a  very  large 
golden  key  to  open  it.  Xow,  as  you  are  aware,  gold  is  a 
very  scarce  commodity  with  me.  Then,  after  getting  her 
out,  a  lavish  expenditure  would  be  needed  for  our  flight. 
We  should  have  to  make  our  way  to  the  sea-coast,  to  do 
all  sorts  of  things  to  throw  dust  into  the  eyes  of  our  pur 
suers,  and  to  get  a  passage  to  some  place  beyond  the 
domains  of  Philip,  which  means  either  to  France,  England, 
or  the  Netherlands.  Beyond  all  this  will  be  the  question 
of  future  subsistence  until,  if  ever,  the  marquis  makes  up 
his  mind  to  forgive  his  daughter  and  take  her  to  his  heart 
again,  a  contingency,  in  my  opinion,  likely  to  be  extremely 
remote." 

'•'And  what  does  the  Lady  Inez  say  to  it  all  ?"  Geoffrey 
asked. 

"  The  Lady  Inez  has  had  small  opportunity  of  saying 
anything  on  the  subject,  Geoffrey.  Here  in  Spain  there 
are  mighty  few  opportunities  for  courtship.  With  us  at 


1 84  B  T  ENGLAND '  5  AID. 

home  these  matters  are  easy  enough,  and  there  is  no  luck 
of  opportunity  for  pleading  your  suit  and  winning  a  girl's 
heart  if  it  is  to  be  won ;  but  here  in  Spain  matters  are 
altogether  different,  and  an  unmarried  girl  is  looked  after 
as  sharply  as  if  she  was  certain  to  get  into  some  mischief 
or  other  the  instant  she  had  an  opportunity.  She  is  never 
suffered  to  be  for  a  moment  alone  with  a  man  ;  out  of 
doors  or  in  she  has  always  a  duenna  by  her  side  ;  and  as  to 
a  private  chat,  the  thing  is  simply  impossible." 

"  Then  how  do  you  manage  to  make  love  ?  "  Geoffrey 
asked. 

•'  Well,  a  very  little  goes  a  long  way  in  Spain.  The 
manner  of  a  bow,  the  wave  of  a  fan,  the  dropping  of  a  glove 
or  flower,  the  touch  of  a  hand  in  a  crowded  room — each  of 
these  things  go  as  far  as  a  month's  open  love-making  in 
Ireland." 

"  Then  how  did  you  manage  with  the  duenna  so  as  to  be 
able  to  speak  to  her  in  the  gardens  ?  " 

"  Well,  in  the  first  place,  I  made  myself  very  attentive  to 
the  duenna ;  in  the  second  place,  the  old  lady  is  devout, 
and  you  know  Ireland  is  the  land  of  saints,  and  I  presented 
her  with  an  amulet  containing  a  paring  of  the  nail  of  St. 
Patrick." 

Geoffrey  burst  into  a  laugh,  in  which  the  Irishman 
joined 

"Well,  if  it  was  not  really  St.  Patrick's,  "the  latter  went 
on,  "  it  came  from  Ireland  anyhow  which  is  the  next  best 
thing.  Then  in  the  third  place,  the  old  lady  is  very  fond 
of  Inez  ;  and  although  she  is  as  strict  as  a  dragon,  Inez 
coaxed  her  into  the  belief  that  there  could  not  be  any  harm 
in  our  exchanging  a  few  words  when  she  was  close  by  all  the 
time  to  hear  what  was  said.  Xow,  I  think  you  know  as 
much  as  I  do  about  the  matter,  Geoffrey.  You  will  under 
stand  that  a  few  notes  have  been  exchanged,  and  that  Inez 
loves  me.  Beyond  that  everything  is  vague  and  uncertain, 
and  I  have  not  the  slightest  idea  what  will  come  of  it.'' 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  185 

Some  weeks  passed  and  nothing  was  done.  The  meet 
ings  between  Gerald  Burke  and  Inez  in  the  Gardens  of  the 
vRetiro  had  ceased  a  day  or  two  afterwards,  the  duenna 
having  positively  refused  to  allow  them  to  continue,  threat 
ening  Inez  to  inform  her  father  of  them  unless  she  gave 
them  up. 

Gerald  Burke's  funds  dwindled  rapidly,  although  he  and 
Geoffrey  lived  in  the  very  closest  way. 

"  What  in  the  world  is  to  be  done,  Geoffrey  ?  I  have 
only  got  twenty  dollars  left,  which  at  the  outside  will  pay 
for  our  lodgings  and  food  for  another  month.  For  the  life 
of  me  I  cannot  see  what  is  to  be  done  when  that  is  gone, 
unless  we  take  to  the  road." 

Geoffrey  shook  his  head.  "As  far  as  I  am  concerned," 
he  said,  "  as  we  are  at  war  with  Spain,  it  would  be  fair  if 
I  met  a  Spanish  ship  at  sea  to  capture  and  plunder  it,  but 
I  am  afraid  the  laws  of  war  do  not  justify  private  plunder. 
I  should  be  perfectly  ready  to  go  out  and  take  service  in  a 
vineyard,  or  to  earn  my  living  in  any  way  if  it  could  be 
managed/' 

"  I  would  rob  a  cardinal  if  I  had  the  chance,"  Gerald 
Burke  said,  "and  if  I  ever  got  rich  would  restore  his 
money  four-fold  and  so  obtain  absolution  ;  only,  unfortu 
nately,  I  do  not  see  my  way  to  robbing  a  cardinal.  As  to 
digging  in  the  fields,  Geoffrey,  I  would  rather  hang  myself 
at  once.  I  am  constitutionally  averse  to  labor,  and  if  one 
once  took  to  that  sort  of  thing  there  would  be  an  end  to 
everything." 

"  It  is  still  open  to  you,"  Geoffrey  said,  "  to  get  your 
friends  to  obtain  a  commission  for  you." 

"I  could  do  that,"  Gerald  said  moodily,  "but  of  all 
things  that  is  what  I  should  most  hate." 

"  You  might  make  your  peace  with  the  English  govern 
ment  and  get  some  of  your  estates  back  again." 

"  That  I  will  not  do  to  feed  myself,"  Gerald  Burke  said 
firmly.  "I  have  thought  that  if  I  ever  carry  off  Inez  I 


186  BY  ENGLAND  S  AID. 

might  for  her  sake  do  so,  for  I  own  that  now  all  hope  of 
help  from  Spain  is  at  an  end,  our  cause  in  Ireland  is  lost, 
and  it  is  no  use  going  on  struggling  against  the  inevitable  ; 
but  I  am  not  going  to  sue  the  English  government  as  a 
beggar  for  myself.  No  doubt  I  could  borrow  small  sums 
from  Irishmen  and  Scotchmen  here,  and  hold  on  for  a  few 
months;  but  most  of  them  are  well-nigh  as  poor  as  I  am 
myself,  and  I  would  not  ask  them.  Besides,  there  would 
be  no  chance  of  my  repaying  them  :  and  if  I  am  to  rob 
anyone,  I  would  rather  plunder  these  rich  dons  than  my 
own  countrymen." 

"  Of  one  thing  I  am  resolved,"  Geoffrey  said,  "  I  will 
not  live  at  your  expense  any  longer,  Gerald.  I  can  speak 
Spanish  very  fairly  now,  and  can  either  take  service  in 
some  Spanish  family  or,  as  I  said  get  work  in  the  field." 

Gerald  laughed.  "  My  dear  Geoffrey,  the  extra  expenses 
caused  by  you  last  week  were,  as  far  as  I  can  calculate, 
one  penny  for  bread  and  as  much  for  fruit ;  the  rest  of 
your  living  was  obtained  at  the  expense  of  my  friends." 

"At  any  rate,"  Geoffrey  said  smiling,  "  I  insist  that  my 
money  be  now  thrown  into  the  common  fund.  I  have 
offered  it  several  times  before,  but  you  always  said  we  had 
best  keep  it  for  emergency.  I  think  the  emergency  has 
come  now,  and  these  ten  English  pounds  in  my  belt  will 
enable  us  to  take  some  step  or  other.  The  qiiestion  is, 
what  step  ?  They  might  last  us,  living  as  we  do,  for  some 
three  or  four  months,  but  at  the  end  of  that  time  we  should 
be  absolutely  penniless  ;  therefore  now  is  the  time,  while 
we  have  still  a  small  stock  in  hand,  to  decide  upon  some 
thing." 

"  But  what  are  we  to  decide  upon  ? "  Gerald  Burke 
asked  helplessly. 

"  I  have  been  thinking  it  over  a  great  deal,"  Geoffrey 
said,  "  and  my  idea  is  that  we  had  best  go  to  Cadiz  or  some 
other  large  port.  Although  Spain  is  at  war  both  with 
England  and  the  Netherlands,  trade  still  goes  on  in  private 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  18, 

ships,  and  both  Dutch  and  English  vessels  carry  on  com 
merce  with  Spain ;  therefore  it  seems  to  me  that  there 
Vmst  be  merchants  in  Cadiz  who  would  be  ready  to  give 
employment  to  men  capable  of  speaking  and  writing  both 
in  Spanish  and  English,  and  in  my  case  to  a  certain  extent 
iii  Dutch.  From  there,  too,  there  might  be  a  chance  oi 
getting  a  passage  to  England  or  Holland.  If  we  fount? 
that  impossible  owing  to  the  vessels  being  too  carefully 
searched  before  sailing,  we  might  at  the  worst  take  passage 
as  sailors  on  board  a  Spanish  ship  bound  for  the  Indies, 
and  take  our  chance  of  escape  or  capture  there  or  on 
the  voyage.  That,  at  least,  is  what  I  planned  for  my 
self." 

"  I  think  your  idea  is  a  good  one,  Geoffrey.  At  any 
rate  to  Cadiz  we  will  go.  I  don't  know  about  the  mercan 
tile  business  or  going  as  a  sailor,  but  I  could  get  a  commis 
sion  from  the  governor  there  as  well  as  here  in  Madrid  ; 
but  at  any  rate  I  will  go.  Donna  Inez  was  taken  last  week 
by  her  father  to  some  estates  he  has  somewhere  between 
Seville  and  Cadiz,  in  order,  I  suppose,  that  he  may  be 
nearer  Don  Philip,  who  is,  I  hear,  at  last  recovering  from 
his  long  illness.  I  do  not  know  that  there  is  the  slightest 
use  in  seeing  her  again,  but  I  will  do  so  if  it  be  possible  ; 
and  if  by  a  miracle  I  could  succeed  in  carrying  her  off, 
Cadiz  would  be  a  more  likely  place  to  escape  from  than 
anywhere. 

•*  Yes,  I  know.  You  think  the  idea  is  a  mad  one,  but 
you  have  never  been  in  love  yet.  When  you  are  you  wilt 
know  that  lovers  do  not  believe  in  the  word  '  impossible.' 
At  any  rate,  I  mean  to  give  Inez  the  chance  of  determin 
ing  her  own  fate.  If  she  is  ready  to  risk  everything  rathe? 
than  marry  Don  Philip,  I  am  ready  to  share  the  risk  what 
ever  it  maybe." 

Accordingly  on  the  following  day  Gerald  Burke  disposed- 
of  the  greater  part  of  his  wardrobe  and  belongings,  puv- 
chased  two  ponies  for  a  few  crowns,  and  he  and  Geoii'rey, 


188  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

with  a  solitary  suit  of  clothes  in  a  wallet  fastened  behind 
the  saddle,  started  for  their  journey  to  Cadiz.  They 
mounted  outside  the  city,  for  Gerald  shrank  from  meeting 
any  acquaintances  upon  such  a  sorry  steed  as  he  had  pur 
chased  ;  but  once  on  their  way  his  spirits  rose.  He  laughed 
and  chatted  gayly,  and  spoke  of  the  future  as  if  all  difficul 
ties  were  cleared  away.  The  ponies,  although  rough  ani 
mals,  were  strong  and  sturdy,  and  carried  their  riders  at  a 
good  pace.  Sometimes  they  traveled  alone,  sometimes 
jogged  along  with  parties  whom  they  overtook  by  the  way, 
or  who  had  slept  in  the  same  posadas  or  inns  at  which  they 
had  put  up  for  the  night. 

Most  of  these  inns  were  very  rough,  and,  to  Geoffrey, 
astonishingly  dirty.  The  food  consisted  generally  of 
bread  and  a  miscellaneous  olio  or  stew  from  a  great  pot 
constantly  simmering  over  the  fire,  the  flavor,  whatever  it 
might  be,  being  entirely  overpowered  by  that  of  the  oil 
and  garlic  that  were  the  most  marked  of  its  constituents. 
Beds  were  wholly  unknown  at  these  places,  the  guests 
simply  wrapping  themselves  in  their  cloaks  and  lying  down 
on  the  floor,  although  in  a  few  exceptional  cases  bundles 
of  rushes  were  strewn  about  to  form  a  common  bed. 

But  the  traveling  was  delightful.  It  was  now  late  in 
the  autumn,  and  when  they  were  once  past  the  dreary  dis 
trict  of  La  Mancha,  and  had  descended  to  the  rich  plains 
of  Cordova,  the  vintage  was  in  full  progress  and  the  har 
vest  everywhere  being  garnered  in.  Their  mid-day  meal 
consisted  of  bread  and  fruit,  costing  but  the  smallest  coin, 
and  eaten  by  the  wayside  in  the  shade  of  a  clump  of  trees. 
They  heard  many  tales  on  their  way  down  of  the  bands  of 
robbers  who  infested  the  road,  but  having  taken  the  pre 
caution  of  having  the  doubloons  for  which  they  had  ex 
changed  Geoffrey's  English  gold  sewn  up  in  their  boots, 
they  had  no  fear  of  encountering  these  gentry,  having 
nothing  to  lose  save  their  wallets  and  the  few  dollars  they 
had  kept  out  for  the  expenses  of  their  journey.  The  few 


BY  ENGLAND1  S  AID.  189 

jewels  that  Gerald  Burke  retained  were  sewn  up  iu  the 
Stuffing  of  his  saddle. 

After  ten  days'  travel  they  reached  Seville,  where  they 
stayed  a  couple  of  days,  and  where  the  wealth  and  splendor 
of  the  buildings  surprised  Geoffrey,  who-  had  not  visited 
Antwerp  or  any  of  the  great  commercial  centers  of  the 
Netherlands. 

"  It  is  a  strange  taste  of  the  Spanish  king,"  he  observed 
to  Gerald  Burke,  "  to  plant  their  capital  at  Madrid  in  the 
center  of  a  barren  country,  when  they  might  make  such  a 
splendid  city  as  this  their  capital,  I  could  see  no  charms 
whatever  in  Madrid.  The  climate  was  detestable,  with  its 
hot  sun  and  bitter  cold  winds.  Here  the  temperature  is 
delightful ;  the  air  is  soft  and  balmy,  the  country  round 
is  a  garden,  and  there  is  a  cathedral  worthy  of  a  capital." 

"  It  seems  a  strange  taste,"  Gerald  agreed  ;  "  but  I  be 
lieve  that  when  Madrid  was  first  planted  it  stood  in  the 
midst  of  extensive  forests,  and  that  it  was  merely  a  hunt 
ing  residence  for  the  king." 

"  Then,  when  the  forests  went  I  would  have  gone  too," 
Geoffrey  said.  "  Madrid  has  not  even  a  river  worthy  of 
the  name,  and  has  no  single  point  to  recommend  it,  as  far 
as  I  can  see,  for  the  capital  of  a  great  empire.  If  I  were 
a  Spaniard  I  should  certainly  take  up  my  residence  in 
Seville." 

Upon  the  following  morning  they  again  started,  joining, 
before  they  had  ridden  many  miles,  a  party  of  three  mer 
chants  traveling  with  their  servants  to  Cadiz.  The 
merchants  looked  a  little  suspiciously  at  first  at  the  two 
young  men  upon  their  rough  steeds ;  but  as  soon  as  they 
discovered  from  their  first  salutations  that  they  were 
foreigners,  they  became  more  cordial,  and  welcomed  this 
accession  of  strength  to  their  party,  for  the  carrying  of 
weapons  was  universal,  and  the  portion  of  the  road  be 
tween  Seville  and  Cadiz  particularly  unsafe,  as  it  was 
traversed  by  so  many  merchants  and  wealthy  people.  The 


1 90  BY  EX  GLAND '  S  AID. 

conversation  speedily  turned  to  the  disturbed  state  of  the 
roads. 

"  I  do  not  think,*'  one  of  the  merchants  said,  "  that  auy 
ordinary  band  of  robbers  would  dare  attack  us,"  and  lie 
looked  round  with  satisfaction  at  the  six  armed  servants 
who  rode  behind  them. 

'•  It  all  depends,"  Gerald  Burke  said,  with  a  sly  wink  at 
Geoffrey,  "  upon  what  value  the  robbers  may  place  upon 
the  valor  of  your  servants.  As  a  rule  serving-men  are 
very  chary  of  their  skins,  and  I  should  imagine  that  the 
(robbers  must  be  pretty  well  aware  of  that  fact.  Most  of 
them  are  disbanded  soldiers  or  deserters,  and  I  should  say 
•that  four  of  them  are  more  than  a  match  for  your  six 
servants.  I  would  wager  that  your  men  would  make  but 
a  very  poor  show  of  i  *'  it  came  to  fighting." 

"  But  there  are  i  ur  three  selves  and  you  two  gentle 
men,"  the  merchant  said  in  a  tone  of  disquiet. 

"  Well,"  Gerald  rejoined,  "  I  own  that  from  your  ap 
pearance  I  should  not  think,  worshipful  sir,  that  fighting 
was  altogether  in  your  line.  Now,  my  servant,  young  as 
he  is,  has  taken  part  in  much  fighting  in  the  Netherlands, 
and  I  myself  have  had  some  experience  with  my  sword ; 
but  if  we  were  attacked  by  robbers  we  should  naturally 
stand  neutral.  Having  nothing  to  defend,  and  having  no 
inclination  whatever  to  get  our  throats  cut  in  protecting 
the  property  of  others,  I  think  that  you  will  see  for  your 
selves  that  that  is  reasonable.  TVe  are  soldiers  of  fortune, 
ready  to  venture  our  lives  in  a  good  service,  and  for  good 
pay,  but  mightily  disinclined  to  throw  them  away  for  th* 
mere  love  of  fighting." 


BY  ENGLAXV 


f  CHAPTER  XIL 

RECRUITING  THEIM    FUNDS. 

As  soon  as  Gerald  Bnrke  began  conversing  with  the 
merchants,  Geoffrey  fell  back  and  took  his  place  among 
their  servants,  with  whom  he  at  once  entered  into  conver 
sation.  To  amuse  himself  he  continued  in  the  same  strain 
that  he  had  heard  Geraid  adopt  towards  the  merchants, 
and  spoke  in  terms  of  apprehension  of  the  dangers  of  the 
journey,  and  of  the  rough  treatment  that  had  befallen 
those  who  had  ventured  to  offer  opposition  to  the  robbers. 
He  was  not  long  in  discovering,  by  the  anxious  glances 
they  cast  round  them,  and  by  the  manner  of  their  ques 
tions,  that  some  at  least  of  the  party  were  not  to  be  relied 
upon  in  case  of  an  encounter. 

He  was  rather  surprised  at  Geralfl  remaining  so  long  in 
company  with  the  merchants,  for  thffir  pace  was  a  slow 
one,  as  they  were  followed  by  eight  heavily-laden  mules, 
driven  by  two  muleteers,  and  it  would  have  been  much 
pleasanter,  he  thought,  to  have  trotted  on  at  their  usua.]! 
pace.  About  midday,  as  they  were  passing  along  the 
edge  of  a  thick  wood,  a  party  of  men  suddenly  sprang  out 
and  ordered  them  to  halt.  Geoffrey  shouted  to  the  men 
with  him  to  come  on,  and  drawing  his  sword  dashed  for 
ward. 

Two  of  the  men  only  followed  him.  The  others  hesi 
tated,  until  a  shot  from  a  musket  knocked  off  one  of  theis 
hats,  whereupon  the  man  and  his  comrades  turned  their 
horses*  heads  and  rode  off  at  fall  speed.  The  merchants 


192  BY  ENGLAND ' S  AID. 

had  drawn  their  swords,  and  stood  on  the  defensive,  and 
Geoffrey  on  reaching  them,  was  surprised  to  find  that 
Gerald  Burke  was  sitting  quietly  on  his  horse  without  any 
apparent  intention  of  taking  part  in  the  fight. 

"  Put  up  your  sword,  Geoffrey,"  he  said  calmly  ;  "  thia 
affair  is  no  business  of  ours.  "We  have  nothing  to  lose,  and 
it  is  no  business  of  ours  to  defend  the  money-bags  of  these 
gentlemen." 

The  robbers,  eight  in  number,  now  rushed  up.  One  of 
the  merchants,  glancing  round,  saw  that  two  of  their  men 
only  had  come  up  to  their  assistance.  The  muleteers,  who 
were  probably  in  leagite  with  the  robbers,  had  fled,  leaving 
their  animals  standing  in  the  road.  The  prospect  seemed 
desperate.  One  of  the  merchants  was  an  elderly  man,  the 
others  were  well  on  middle  age.  The  mules  were  laden 
with  valuable  goods,  and  they  had  with  them  a  consider 
able  sum  of  money  for  making  purchases  at  Cadiz.  It  was 
no  time  for  hesitation. 

"  We  will  give  you  five  hundred  crowns  if  you  will  both 
aid  us  to  beat  off  these  robbers." 

"  It  is  a  bargain,"  Gerald  replied.  "  Xow,  Geoffrey, 
have  at  these  fellows  !  " 

Leaping  from  their  ponies  they  ranged  themselves  by  the 
merchants  just  as  the  robbers  attacked  them.  Had  it  not 
been  for  their  aid  the  combat  would  have  been  a  short  one  , 
for  although  determined  to  defend  their  property  to  the  last, 
the  traders  had  neither  strength  nor  skill  at  arms.  One 
was  unhorsed  at  the  first  blow,  and  another  wounded  ;  but 
Jie  two  servants,  who  had  also  dismounted,  fought  stur 
dily,  and  Gerald  and  Geoffrey  each  disposed  of  a  man  be 
fore  the  robbers,  who  had  not  reckoned  upon  their  inter 
ference,  were  prepared  to  resist  their  attack.  The  fight 
did  not  last  many  minutes.  The  traders  did  their  best, 
and  although  by  no  means  formidable  opponents,  distracted 
the  attention  of  the  robbers,  who  were  startled  by  the  fall 
oJL  two  of  their  party.  Geoffrey  received  a  sharp  cut  on  the 


BY  EN  GLASD '  S  A  ID.  193 

head,  but  at  the  same  moment  ran  his  opponent  through 
the  body,  while  Gerald  Burke  cut  down  the  man  opposed 
to  him.  The  other  four  robbers,  seeing  they  were  now  out 
numbered,  at  once  took  to  their  heels. 

"  By  St.  Jago  !"  one  of  the  traders  said,  "you  are  stout 
fighters,  young  men,  and  have  won  your  fee  well.  Me- 
thought  we  should  have  lost  our  lives  as  well  as  our  goods, 
and  I  doubt  not  we  should  have  done  so  had  you  not  ranged 
yourselves  with  us.  Now,  let  us  bandage  up  our  wounds, 
for  we  have  all  received  more  or  less  hurt." 

When  the  wounds,  some  of  which  were  serious,  were  at 
tended  to,  the  fallen  robbers  were  examined.  Three  of 
them  were  dead ;  but  the  man  last  cut  down  by  Gerald 
Burke  seemed  likely  to  recover, 

"  Shall  we  hang  him  upon  a  tree  as  a  warning  to  these 
knaves,  or  shall  we  take  him  with  us  to  the  next  town 
and  give  him  in  charge  of  the  authorities  there  ?  "  one  of 
the  traders  asked. 

"If  I  were  you  I  would  do  neither,"  Gerald  said,  "but 
would  let  him  go  free  if  he  will  tell  you  the  truth  about 
this  attack.  It  will  be  just  as  well  for  you  to  get  to  the 
bottom  of  this  affair,  and  find  out  whether  it  is  a  chance 
meeting,  or  whether  any  of  your  own  people  have  been  in 
league  with  him." 

"That  is  a  good  idea,"  the  trader  agreed,  "and  I  will 
carry  it  out,"  and  going  up  to  the  man,  who  had  now  re 
covered  his  senses,  he  said  to  him  sternly:  "We  have 
made  up  our  minds  to  hang  you  ;  but  you  may  save  your 
life  if  you  will  tell  us  how  you  came  to  set  upon  us.  Speak 
the  truth  and  you  shall  go  free,  otherwise  we  will  finish 
with  you  without  delay." 

The  robber,  seeing  an  unexpected  chance  of  escape  from 
punishment,  at  once  said  that  the  captain  in  their  band, 
who  was  the  man  Geoffrey  had  last  run  through,  came  out 
from  Seville  the  evening  before,  and  told  him  that  one 
Juan  Campos,  with  whom  he  had  long  had  intimate  rel»- 


194  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

tious,  and  who  was  clerk  to  a  rich  trader,  had,  upon  prom 
ise  that  he  should  receive  one-fifth  of  the  booty  taken, 
informed  him  that  his  master  with  two  other  merchants 
was  starting  011  the  following  morning  for  Cadiz  with  a 
very  valuable  lot  of  goods,  and  twenty-five  thousand  crowns, 
which  they  intended  to  lay  out  in  the  purchase  of  goods 
brought  by  some  galleons  that  had  just  arrived  from  the 
Indies.  He  had  arranged  to  bribe  his  master's  two  servants 
to  ride  away  when  they  attacked  the  gang,  and  also  to 
settle  with  the  muleteers  so  that  they  should  take  no  part 
iu  the  affair.  They  had  reckoned  that  the  flight  of  two  of 
the  servants  would  probably  affect  the  others,  and  had 
therefore  expected  the  rich  booty  to  fall  into  their  hands 
without  the  trouble  of  striking  a  blow  for  it. 

<e  It  is  well  we  followed  your  suggestion,"  one  of  the 
traders  said  to  Gerald.  f '  I  had  no  suspicion  of  the  honesty 
of  my  clerk,  and  had  we  not  made  this  discovery  he  would 
doubtless  have  played  me  a  similar  trick  upon  some  other 
occasion.  I  will  ride  back  at  once,  friends,  for  if  he  hears 
of  the  failure  of  the  attack  he  may  take  the  alarm  and 
make  off  with  all  he  can  lay  his  hands  upon.  Our  venture 
was  to  be  in  common.  I  will  leave  it  to  you  to  carry  it 
out,  and  return  and  dismiss  Campos  and  the  two  rascally 
servants/'  The  three  traders  went  apart  and  consulted 
together.  Presently  the  eldest  of  the  party  returned  to 
the  young  men. 

"  We  have  another  five  days'  journey  before  us,"  he  said, 
"  and  but  two  servants  upon  whom  we  can  place  any  re 
liance.  We  have  evidence  of  the  unsafety  of  the  roads, 
and,  as  you  have  heard,  we  have  a  large  sum  of  money 
with  us.  You  have  already  more  than  earned  the  reward 
I  offered  you,  and  my  friends  have  agreed  with  me  that  if 
you  will  continue  to  journey  with  us  as  far  as  Cadiz,  and  to 
give  us  the  aid  of  your  valor  should  we  be  again  attacked, 
we  will  make  the  five  hundred  crowns  a  thousand.  It  is  u 
large  sum,  but  we  have  well-nigh  all  our  fortunes  at  stake, 


195 

and  we  feel  that  we  owe  you  our  lives  as  well  as  the  saving 
*  of  our  money." 

"  We  could  desire  nothing  better, "  Gerald  replied,  "  and 
will  answer  with  our  lives  that  your  goods  and  money  shall 
arrive  safely  at  Cadiz." 

The  traders  then  called  up  their  two  serving-men,  and 
told  them  that  on  their  arrival  at  Cadiz  they  would  present 
them  each  with  a  hundred  crowns  for  having  so  stoutly 
done  their  duty.  The  employer  of  the  treacherous  clerk 
then  turned  his  horse's  head  and  rode  back  towards  Seville, 
while  the  others  prepared  to  proceed  on  their  way.  The 
two  muleteers  had  now  come  out  from  among  the  bushes, 
and  were  busy  ref  astening  the  bales  on  the  mules,  the  ropes 
having  become  loosened  in  the  struggles  of  the  animals 
while  the  fight  was  going  on.  The  merchants  had  decided 
to  say  nothing  to  the  men  as  to  the  discovery  that  they 
were  in  league  with  the  robbers. 

"  Half  these  fellows  are  in  alliance  with  these  bands, 
which  are  a  scourge  to  the  country,"  one  of  the  traders 
said.  "  If  we  were  to  inform  the  authorities  at  the  next 
town,  we  should,  in  the  first  place,  be  blamed  for  letting 
the  wounded  man  escape,  and  secondly  we  might  be  de 
tained  for  days  while  investigations  are  going  on.  In  this 
country  the  next  worse  thing  to  being  a  prisoner  is  to  be  a 
complainant.  Law  is  a  luxury  in  which  the  wealthy  and 
idle  can  alone  afford  to  indulge." 

As  soon,  therefore,  as  the  baggage  was  readjusted  the 
party  proceeded  on  their  way. 

'•What  do  you  think  of  that,  Geoffrey  ?"  Gerald  Burke 
asked  as  he  rode  for  a  distance  by  the  side  of  his  supposed 
servant. 

"  It  is  magnificent/'  Geoffrey  replied  ;  "  and  it  seems  to 
me  that  the  real  road  to  wealth  in  Spain  is  to  hire  youself 
out  as  a  guard  to  travelers." 

"  Ah,  you  would  not  get  much  if  yon  made  your  bargain 
beforehand.  It  is  only  at  a  moment  of  urgent  danger  that 


196  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

fear  will  open  purse-strings  widely.  Had  we  bargained  be 
forehand  with  these  traders  we  might  have  thought  our 
selves  lucky  if  we  had  got  ten  crowns  apiece  as  the  price 
of  our  escort  to  Cadiz,  and  indeed  we  should  have  been 
only  too  glad  if  last  night  such  an  offer  had  been  made  to 
us ;  but  when  a  man  sees  that  his  property  and  life  :iro 
really  in  danger  he  does  not  stop  to  haggle,  but  is  content 
to  give  a  handsome  percentage  of  what  is  risked  for  aid  to 
save  the  rest." 

"  Well,  thank  goodness,  our  money  trouble  is  at  an  cud," 
Geoffrey  said  ;  and  it  will  be  a  long  time  before  we  need 
have  any  anxiety  on  that  score." 

"Things  certainly  look  better,"  Gerald  said  laughing  ; 
"  and  if  Inez  consents  to  make  a  runaway  match  of  it  Ttvth 
me  I  sha'n't  have  to  ask  her  to  pay  the  expenses." 

Cadiz  was  reached  without  further  adventure.  The 
merchants  kept  their  agreement  honorably,  and  handed 
over  a  heavy  bag  containing  a  thousand  crowns  to  Gerald 
on  their  arrival  at  that  city.  They  had  upon  the  road  in 
quired  of  him  the  nature  of  his  business  there.  He  had 
told  them  that  he  was  at  present  undecided  whether  to  enter 
the  army,  in  which  some  friends  of  his  had  offered  to  obtain 
him  a  commission,  or  to  join  in  an  adventure  to  the  Indies. 
They  had  told  him  they  were  acquainted  with  several  mer 
chants  at  Cadiz  who  traded  both  with  the  east  and  west, 
and  that  they  would  introduce  him  to  them  as  a  gentleman 
of  spirit  and  courage,  whom  they  might  employ  with  ad 
vantage  upon  such  ventures  ;  and  this  promise  after  their 
arrival  there  they  carried  out. 

"Now,  Geoffrey,"  Gerald  said  as  they  sat  together  that 
evening  at  a  comfortable  inn,  "  we  must  talk  over  matters 
here.  We  have  five  hundred  crowns  apiece,  and  need  not 
trouble  any  longer  as  to  how  we  are  to  support  life.  Your 
great  object,  of  course,  is  to  get  out  of  this  country  some 
how,  and  to  make  your  way  hack  to  England.  My  first  is 
to  see  Inez  and  to  find  out  whether  she  will  follow  my  for- 


B  Y  ENGLAND '  8  AID.  197 

vanes  or  remain  to  become  some  day  Marchesa  of  Sotto- 
mayor.  If  she  adopts  the  former  alternative  I  have  to  ar 
range  some  plan  to  carry  her  off  and  to  get  r  at  of  the 
country,  an  operation  in  which  I  foresee  no  W  _e  difficulty. 
Of  course  if  we  are  caught  my  life  is  f  orfr '  Od,  there  is  no 
question  about  that.  The  question  f~  us  to  consider  is 
how  we  are  to  set  about  to  carry  out '  '  respective  plans/' 

"  We  need  only  consider  your  ;.  \ a  as  far  as  I  can  see," 
Geoffrey  said.  "  Of  course  I  8-&..,  do  what  I  can  to  assist 
you,  and  if  you  manage  tc  **.:,•;  off  safely  with  the  young 
lady  I  shall  escape  at  the  ?  ,Ae  time." 

"  Not  at  all,"  Burkf-  gr^d  ;  "  you  have  only  to  wait  here 
quietly  until  you  se^  r '^  opportunity.  I  will  go  with  you 
to-morrow  to  the T  ^-chants  I  was  introduced  to  to-day,  and 
say  that  I  am  r  ^g  away  for  a  time  and  shall  be  obliged  if 
they  will  n**""  !0you  useful  in  any  way  until  I  return.  In 
that  way  ^  j.  will  have  a  sort  of  established  position  here, 
and  can  wait  until  you  see  a  chance  of  smuggling  yourself 
on  board  some  English  or  Dutch  vessel.  Mine  is  a  very 
different  affair.  I  may  talk  lightly  of  it,  but  I  am  perfectly 
aware  that  I  run  a  tremendous  risk,  and  th?t  the  chances 
are  very  strongly  against  me." 

"Whatever  the  chances  are,"  Geoffrey  said  quietly,  "I 
shall  share  them  with  you.  Your  kindness  has  saved  me 
from  what  at  best  might  have  been  imprisonment  for  life, 
and  not  improbably  would  have  been  torture  and  death  at 
the  hands  of  the  Inquisition,  and  I  am  certainly  not  going 
to  withdraw  myself  from  you  now  when  you  are  entering 
upon  what  is  undoubtedly  a  very  dangerous  adventure.  If 
we  escape  from  Spain  we  escape  together  ;  if  not,  whatever 
fate  befalls  you  I  am  ready  to  risk." 

"  Very  well ;  so  be  it,  Geoffrey,"  Gerald  Burke  said, 
holding  out  his  hand  to  him.  "If  your  mind  is  made  up  I 
will  not  argue  the  question  with  you,  and  indeed  I  value 
your  companionship  and  aid  too  highly  to  try  to  shake  your 
determination-  T^et  us  then  at  once  talk  over  what  is  now 


198  BY  ENGLAND  '5  A  ID. 

our  joint  enterprise.  Ribaldo  estate  lies  about  half-way 
between  this  and  Seville,  and  we  passed  within  a  few  miles 
of  it  as  we  came  hither.  The  first  thing,  of  course,  will  b* 
to  procure  some  sort  of  disguise  in  which  I  can  see  Inez  and 
have  a  talk  with  her.  Now,  it  seems  to  me,  for  I  have  been 
thinking  the  matter  over  in  every  way  as  we  rode,  that  the 
only  disguise  in  which  this  would  be  possible  would  be  that 
of  a  priest  or  monk." 

Geoffrey  laughed  aloud.  "  You  would  in  the  first  place 
have  to  shave  off  your  moustachios,  Gerald,  and  I  fear  that 
even  after  you  had  done  so  there  would  be  nothing  venerable 
in  your  appearance  ;  and  whatever  the  mission  with  which 
you  might  pretend  to  charge  yourself,  your  chances  of  ob 
taining  a  private  interview  with  the  lady  would  be  slight." 

"  I  am  afraid  that  I  should  lack  the  odor  of  sanctity, 
Geoffrey  ;  but  what  else  can  one  do  ?  Think  it  over,  man. 
The  way  in  which  you  played  the  idiot  when  you  were 
picked  out  of  the  water  shows  that  you  are  quick  at  con 
triving  a  plan." 

"That  was  a  simple  business  in  comparison  to  this," 
Geoffrey  replied.  ' '  However,  you  are  not  presssed  for  time, 
and  I  will  think  it  over  to-night  and  may  light  upon  some 
possible  scheme,  for  I  own  that  at  present  I  have  not  the 
least  idea  how  the  matter  is  to  be  managed." 

As  in  the  morning  there  were  several  other  travelers 
taking  breakfast  in  the  same  room,  the  conversation  was 
not  renewed  until  Gerald  Burke  strolled  out,  followed  at  a 
respectful  distance  by  Geoffrey,  who  still  passed  as  his 
servant,  and  reached  a  quiet  spot  on  the  ramparts.  Here 
Geoffrey  joined  him,  and  they  stood  for  some  minutes  look 
ing  over  the  sea. 

"  What  a  magnificent  position  for  a  city  ! "  Geoffrey  said 
at  last.  "  Standing  on  this  rocky  tongue  of  land  jutting 
out  at  the  entrance  to  this  splendid  bay  it  ought  to  be  im 
pregnable,  since  it  can  only  be  attacked  on  the  side  facing 
that  sandy  isthmus.  What  a  number  of  ships  are  lying  up 


B  Y  ENGLAND ' S  AID.  199 

the  uay,  and  what  a  busy  scene  it  is  with  the  boats  passing 
and  repassing  !  Though  they  must  be  two  miles  away  I 
fancy  I  can  hear  the  shouts  of  the  sailors/' 

'•"  Yes,  it  is  all  very  fine,"  Gerald  said  ;  "  but  I  have  seen 
it  several  times  before.  Still,  I  can  make  allowances  for 
you.  Do  you  see  that  group  of  small  ships  a  mile  beyond 
the  others  ?  Those  are  the  English  and  Dutchmen.  They 
are  allowed  to  trade,  but  as  you  see  they  are  kept  apart, 
and  there  are  three  war  galleys  lying  close  to  them.  No 
one  is  allowed  to  land,  and  every  boat  going  off  is  strictly 
examined,  and  all  those  who  go  on  board  have  to  show  their 
permits  from  the  governor  to  trade  ;  so,  you  see,  the  chance 
of  getting  on  board  one  of  them  is  slight  indeed.  Higher 
up  the  bay  lies  Puerto  de  Santa  Maria,  where  a  great  trade 
is  carried  on,  and  much  wine  shipped  ;  though  more  comes 
from  Jeres,  which  lies  up  the  river.  You  know  we  passed 
through  it  on  our  way  here. 

"  Yes,  this  is  a  splendid  position  for  trade,  and  I  suppose 
the  commerce  carried  on  here  is  larger  than  in  any  port  in 
Europe  ;  though  Antwerp  ranked  as  first  until  the  troubles 
began  in  the  Netherlands.  But  this  ought  to  be  first.  It 
has  all  the  trade  of  the  Atlantic  sea-board,  and  standing  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Mediteraanean  commands  that  also  ;  while 
all  the  wealth  of  the  New  World  pours  in  here.  This  is 
great  already  ;  there  is  no  saying  what  it  will  be  in  the 
future,  while  some  day  the  trade  from  the  far  East  should 
flow  in  here  also  by  vessels  trading  round  the  south  of 
Africa. 

"  Cadiz  has  but  one  fault :  the  space  on  which  it  stands 
is  too  small  for  a  great  city.  You  see  how  close  the  houses 
stand  together,  and  how  narrow  are  the  streets.  It  cannot 
spread  without  extending  beyond  the  rock  over  the  sands, 
and  then  its  strength  would  be  gone,  and  it  would  be  open 
to  capture  by  an  enterprising  enemy  having  command  of 
the  sea.  There  now,  having  indulged  your  humor,  let  us 


200  BX  MNGLASWS  AID. 

return  to  more  important  matters.  Have  you  thought 
over  what  we  were  talking  about  kit  night  ?" 

"I  have  certainly  thought  it  over/"  Geoffrey  said  ; 
"but  I  do  not  know  that  thinking  has  resulted  in  much. 
The  only  plan  that  occurs  to  me  us  being  at  ail  possible  is 
this.  You  were  talking  in  joke  at  Madrid  of  turning  rob 
ber.  Would  it  be  possible,  think  you,  to  get  together  a 
small  band  of  men  to  aid  you  in  carrying  oH  the  young 
lady,  either  from  the  grounds  of  her  father's  house  or  while 
journeying  on  the  road  ?  You  could  then  have  your  talk 
with  her.  If  you  find  her  willing  to  fly  with  you,  you 
could  leave  the  men  you  have  engaged  and  journey  across 
the  country  in  some  sort  of  disguise  to  a  port.  If  she  ob 
jected,  you  could  conduct  her  back  to  the  neighborhood 
of  the  house  and  allow  her  to  return.  There  is  one  diffi 
culty  :  you  must,  of  course,  be  prepared  with  a  priest,  so 
that  you  can  be  married  at  once  if  she  consents  to  accom 
pany  you." 

Gerald  Burke  was  silent  for  some  time.  "  The  scheme 
seems  a  possible  one,"  he  said  at  last  ;  "  it  is  the  question 
of  the  priest  that  bothers  me.  You  know,  both  in  Seville 
and  Cadiz  there  are  Irish  colleges,  and  at  both  places  there 
are  several  priests  whom  I  knew  before  they  entered  the 
Church,  and  who  would,  I  am  sure,  perform  the  service 
for  me  on  any  ordinary  occasion  ;  but  it  is  a  different  thing 
asking  them  to  take  a  share  in  such  a  business  as  this,  for 
they  would  render  themselves  liable  to  all  sorts  of  penalties 
and  punishments  from  their  superiors.  However,  the 
difficulty  must  be  got  over  somehow,  and  at  any  rate  the 
plan  seems  to  promise  better  than  anything  I  had  thought 
of.  The  first  difficulty  is  how  to  get  the  ruffians  for  such 
a  business.  I  cannot  go  up  to  the  first  beetle-browed  knave 
I  meet  in  the  street  and  say  to  him,  Are  you  disposed  to 
aid  me  in  the  abduction  of  a  lady  ?'' 

'•'No/'  Geoffrey  laughed  ;  "but  fortunately  you  have 
ftu  intermediary  ready  at  hand." 


S  T  ENGLAND '  S  A  ID.  201 

"  How  so  ? "'  Gerald  exclaimed  in  surprise.  • '  Why, 
how  oil  eartli  cau  you  Lave  an  acquaintance  with  any  ruf 
fians  in  Cadiz  ?  " 

•'  Not  a  very  intimate  acquaintance,  Gerald  ;  but  if  you 
take  the  trouble  to  go  into  the  courtyard  of  the  inn  when 
we  get  back  you  will  see  one  of  those  rascally  muleteers 
who  were  in  league  with  the  robbers  who  attacked  us  on 
the  way.  He  was  in  conversation  when  we  came  out  with 
a  man  who  breakfasted  with  us,  and  was  probably  bargain 
ing  for  a  load  for  his  mules  back  to  Seville.  I  have  no 
doubt  that  through  him  you  might  put  yourself  into  com 
munication  with  half  the  cut- throats  of  the  town/' 

'•'  That  is  a  capital  idea,  Geoffr-y,  and  I  will  have  a  talk 
with  the  man  as  soon  as  we  get  back  ;  for  if  he  is  not  still 
there,  I  am  sure  to  be  able  to  learn  from  some  of  the  men 
about  the  stables  where  to  find  him." 

"  You  must  go  very  carefully  to  work,  Gerald,"  Geof 
frey  said.  "  It  would  never  do  to  let  any  of  the  fellows 
know  the  exact  object  for  which  you  engaged  them,  for  they 
might  be  sure  of  getting  a  far  larger  sum  from  the  mar 
quis  for  divulging  your  plans  to  carry  off  his  daughter  than 
you  could  afford  to  pay  them  for  th  ir  services." 

"  I  quite  see  that,  and  will  be  careful." 

On  their  return  to  the  inn  Gerald  Burke  at  once  made 
inquiries  as  to  the  muleteer,  and  learned  that  he  would 
probably  return  in  an  hour  to  see  if  a  bargain  could  be 
made  with  a  trader  for  the  hire  of  his  mules  back  to 
Seville. 

Gerald  waited  about  until  the  man  came.  "  I  want  to 
have  a  talk  with  you,  my  friend/'  he  said. 

The  muleteer  looked  at  him  with  a  suspicious  eye.  "  I 
am  busy/'  he  said  in  a  surly  tone  ;  "  I  have  no  time  to 
waste." 

''  But  it  would  not  be  wasting  it  if  it  were  to  lead  to 
your  putting  a  dozen  crowns  in  your  pocket." 

"  Oh,  if  it  is  to  lead  to  that,  seflor,  I  can  spare  an  hour, 


202  BY  ENGLAND1  S  AID. 

for  I  don't  think  that  anything  is  likely  to  come  out  of 
the  job  I  came  here  to  try  to  arrange." 

"  We  will  walk  away  to  a  quieter  place/*  Gerald  said. 
"  There  are  too  many  people  about  here  for  us  to  talk 
comfortably.  The  ramparts  are  but  two  or  three  minutes' 
walk  ;  we  can  talk  there  without  interruption/' 

When  they  arrived  upon  the  ramparts  Gerald  com 
menced  the  conversation.  "I  think  you  were  foolish,  my 
friend,  not  to  have  taken  us  into  your  confidence  the  other 
day  before  that  little  affair.  You  could  have  made  an  op 
portunity  well  enough.  We  stopped  to  luncheon  ;  if  you 
had  drawn  me  aside,  and  told  me  frankly  that  some  friends 
of  yours  were  about  to  make  an  attack  upon  the  traders, 
and  that  you  would  guarantee  that  they  would  make  it 
worth  my  while — " 

"What  do  you  mean  by  saying  my  friends,  or  that  I 
had  any  knowledge  of  the  affair  beforehand  ?  "  the  man 
asked  furiously. 

"  I  say  so,"  Gerald  replied,  "  because  I  had  it  on  ex 
cellent  authority.  The  wounded  robber  made  a  clean 
breast  of  the  whole  affair,  and  of  your  share  in  it,  as  well 
as  that  of  the  rascally  clerk  of  one  of  the  traders.  If  it 
had  not  been  for  me  the  merchants  would  have  handed 
you  over  to  the  magistrates  at  the  place  where  we  stopped 
that  night  ;  but  I  dissuaded  them,  upon  the  ground  that 
they  would  have  to  attend  as  witnesses  against  you,  and 
that  it  was  not  worth  their  while  to  lose  valuable  time 
merely  for  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you  hung.  However,  all 
this  is  beside  the  question.  What  I  was  saying  was,  it  is 
a  pity  you  did  not  say  to  me  frankly  :  Your  presence  here 
is  inopportune  ;  but  if  you  will  stand  apart  if  any  unex 
pected  affair  takes  place,  you  will  get  say  two  thousand 
crowns  out  of  the  twenty-five  housand  my  friends  are 
going  to  capture.  Had  you  done  that,  you  see,  things 
might  have  turned  out  differently." 

"  I  did  not  know/'  the  muleteer  stammered. 


B  Y  ENGLAND '  8  AID.  203 

"  No,  you  did  not  know  for  certain,  of  course,  that  I 
was  a  soldier  of  fortune  ;  but  if  you  had  been  sharp  you 
might  have  guessed  it.  However,  it  is  too  late  for  that 
now.  Now,  what  I  wanted  to  ask  yon  was  if  you  could 
get  me  half  a  dozen  of  your  friends  to  take  service  under 
me  in  a  little  adventure  I  have  to  carry  out.  They  will 
be  well  paid,  and  I  do  not  suppose  they  will  have  much 
trouble  over  it." 

"And  what  would  you  pay  me,  cabbalero  ?"  the  mule 
teer  asked  humbly  ;  for  he  had  been  greatly  impressed 
with  the  valor  displayed  by  the  young  Irishman  and  his 
servant  in  the  fray,  and  thought  that  he  intended  to  get 
together  a  company  for  adventures  on  the  road,  in  which 
case  he  might  be  able  to  have  some  profitable  dealings  with 
him  in  the  future. 

"I  will  give  you  twenty  crowns/'  Gerald  replied  ;  "and 
considering  that  you  owe  your  life  to  my  interposition  I 
think  that  you  ought  not  to  haggle  about  terms." 

"  The  party  who  attacked  us,"  the  muleteer  said,  "  lost 
their  captain  and  several  of  their  comrades  in  that  fray, 
and  would  I  doubt  not  gladly  enter  into  your  service,  seeing 
that  they  have  received  such  proof  of  your  worship's  valor." 

"  Where  could  I  see  them  ?  "  Gerald  asked. 

"  I  think  that  they  will  be  now  in  Jeres,  if  that  would 
suit  you,  senor  ;  but  if  not  I  could  doubtless  find  a  party 
of  men  in  this  town  equally  ready  for  your  business." 

"Jeres  will  do  very  well  forme,"  Gerald  said  ;  "I shall 
be  traveling  that  way  and  will  put  up  at  the  Fonda  where 
we  stopped  as  we  came  through.  When  are  you  starting  ?  " 

"  It  depends  whether  I  make  my  bargain  with  a  man  at 
your  hotel,"  the  muleteer  replied  ;  "  and  this  I  doubt  not 
I  shall  do,  for  with  the  twenty  crowns  your  honor  is  going 
to  give  me  I  shall  not  stand  out  for  terms.  He  is  travel 
ing  with  clothes  from  Flanders,  and  if  your  worship 
thought — " 

"No,  "  Gerald  said.     "I  do  not  wish  to  undertake  any 


204  B  Y  ENGLAND '  S  AID. 

adventures  of  that  sort  until  I  have  a  band  properly  organ- 
ized,  and  have  arranged  hiding-places  and  methods  of  get 
ting  rid  of  the  booty.  I  will  go  back  with  you  to  the  inn, 
and  if  you  strike  your  bargain  you  can  tell  :::c  r.s  you  pass 
out  of  the  gate  what  evening  yon  will  meet  meat  Jeres." 

On  arriving  at  the  inn  Gerald  lounged  at  the  gate  of  the 
courtyard  until  the  muleteer  came  out. 

"  I  will  meet  your  worship  on  the  fifth  night  from  this 
at  Jeres." 

"  Very  well ;  here  are  five  crowns  as  an  earnest  on  our 
bargain.  If  you  carry  it  out  well  I  shall  very  likely  forget 
to  deduct  them  from  the  twenty  I  promised  you.  Do  not 
be  surprised  if  you  find  me  somewhat  changed  in  appear 
ance  when  you  meet  me  there." 

At  the  appointed  time  the  muleteer  with  his  train  of  ani 
mals  entered  the  courtyards  of  the  Fonda  at  Jeres.  Gerald 
was  standing  on  the  steps  of  the  inn.  He  had  altered  the 
fashion  of  his  hair,  had  fastened  on  large  bushy  eyebrows 
which  he  had  obtained  from  a  skillful  perruquier  in  Cadiz, 
a  mustache  of  imposing  size  turned  up  at  the  tips  ;  he  wore 
high  buff  leather  boots,  and  there  was  an  air  of  military 
swagger  about  him,  and  he  was  altogether  so  changed  that 
at  the  first  glance  the  muleteer  failed  to  recognize  him. 
As  soon  as  the  mules  were  unburdened,  Gerald  found  an 
opportunity  of  speaking  with  him. 

"  I  will  go  round  at  once,"  the  man  said,  "  to  the  place 
where  I  shall  certainly  obtain  news  of  my  friends  if  they 
are  here.  I  told  your  honor  that  they  might  be  here,  but 
they  may  have  gone  away  on  some  affair  of  business,  ami 
may  be  on  the  road  or  at  Seville.  They  always  work  be 
tween  this  town  and  Seville." 

"  I  understand  that  you  may  not  meet  them  to-night;  if 
not,  I  will  meet  you  again  in  Seville.  How  long  will  you 
be  finding  out  about  them? 

"  I  shall  know  in  half  an  hour  senor;  if  they  are  not  here  I 
ehall  be  back  here  in  less  than  an  hour,  but  if  I  find  them 


S  Y  ENGLAND '  5  A  ID.  205 

I  shall  be  detained  longer  in  order  to  talk  over  with  them 
the  offer  yonr  worship  makes." 

"  Very  well ;  in  an  hour  you  will  find  me  in  the  street 
opposite  the  inn.  I  shall  wait  there  until  you  come.  If 
all  is  well  make  a  sign  and  I  will  follow  you.  Do  not  men 
tion  to  them  that  I  have  in  any  way  disguised  myself.  Our 
aquaintauce  was  so  short  that  I  don't  fancy  they  had  time 
to  examine  me  very  closely  ;  and  I  have  my  own  reasons  for 
wishing  that  they  should  not  be  aquainted  with  my  ordinary 
appearance,  and  have  therefore  to  some  extent  disguised  my 
self." 

"  I  will  say  nothing  about  it,"  the  muleteer  replied. 
"  Your  worship  can  depend  upon  my  discretion." 

"That  is  right,"  Gerald  said.  "  We  may  have  further 
dealings  together,  and  I  can  reward  handsomely  those  I 
find  trustworthy  and  punisii  those  who  in  the  slightest  de 
gree  disobey  my  orders." 

In  an  hour  and  a  half  the  muleteer  returned,  made  a 
signal  to  Gerald  and  passed  on.  The  latter  joined  him  at 
a  short  distance  from  the  hotel. 

'  'It  is  all  settled,  senor.  I  found  the  men  much  dispirited 
at  the  loss  of  their  captain  and  comrades  ;  and  when  I  pro 
posed  to  them  to  take  service  under  the  cabbalero  who 
wrought  them  such  mischief  the  other  day,  they  jumped  at 
the  idea,  saying  that  under  such  a  valiant  leader  there  was 
no  fear  of  the  failure  of  any  enterprise  they  might  under 
take." 

A  quarter  of  an  hour's  walking  took  them  to  a  small  inn 
of  villainous  appearance  in  one  of  the  smallest  lanes  of  the 
town.  Gerald  was  wrapped  from  head  to  foot  in  his  cloak, 
and  only  his  face  was  visible.  He  had  a  brace  of  pistols  in 
his  belt,  and  was  followed  at  a  short  distance,  unnoticed  by 
the  muleteer,  by  Geoffrey,  who  had  arranged  to  keep  close 
to  the  door  of  any  house  he  entered,  and  was  to  be  in  readi 
ness  to  rush  in  and  take  part  in  the  fray  if  he  heard  the 
•ound  of  firearms  within. 


20t>  BY  ENGLAND ' S  AID. 

Gerald  himself  had  not  at  first  entertained  any  idea  of 
treachery ;  but  Geoffrey  Lad  pointed  out  that  it  was  quite 
possible  that  the  robbers  and  the  muleteer  had  but  feigned 
acquiescence  in  his  proposals  in  order  to  get  him  into  their 
power,  and  take  revenge  for  the  loss  of  their  captain  and 
comrades,  and  of  the  valuable  booty  which  had  so  unex 
pectedly  slipped  through  their  fingers  owing  to  his  inter 
vention. 

The  appearance  of  the  six  ruffians  gathered  in  the  low 
room,  lighted  by  a  wretched  lamp,  was  not  very  assuring, 
and  Gerald  kept  his  hand  on  the  butt  of  one  of  his  pistols. 

The  four  robbers  who  had  been  engaged  in  the  fray, 
however,  saluted  him  respectfully,  and  the  other  two  mem 
bers  of  the  band,  who  had  been  absent  on  other  business, 
followed  their  example.  They  had  heard  from  those  pres 
ent  of  the  extraordinary  valor  with  which  the  two  travel 
ing  companions  of  the  trader  had  thrown  themselves  into 
the  fray,  and  had  alone  disposed  of  their  four  comrades, 
and  being  without  a  leader,  and  greatly  disheartened  by 
their  ill-luck,  they  were  quite  ready  to  forgive  the  mis 
fortunes  Gerald  had  brought  upon  them,  and  to  accept 
such  a  redoubtable  swordsman  as  their  leader. 

Gerald  began  the  conversation.  "  You  have  heard/'  he 
said,  "from  our  friend  here  of  the  offer  I  make  you.  I 
desire  a  band  of  six  men  on  whom  I  can  rely  for  an  advent 
ure  which  promises  large  profit.  Don't  suppose  that  I  am 
going  to  lead  you  to  petty  robberies  on  the  road,  in  which, 
as  you  learned  to  your  cost  the  other  day,  one  sometimes 
gets  more  hard  knocks  than  profit.  Such  adventurer  may 
do  for  petty  knaves,  but  they  are  not  suited  to  me.  The 
way  to  get  wealthy  is  to  strike  at  the  rich.  My  idea  is  to 
establish  some  place  in  an  out-of-the-way  quarter  where 
there  is  no  fear  of  prying  neighbors,  and  to  carry  off  and 
hide  there  the  sons  and  daughters  of  wealthy  men  and  put 
them  to  ransom.  In  the  first  instance  I  am  going  to 
undertake  a  private  affair  of  my  own  ;  and  as  you  will 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  207 

really  run  no  risk  in  the  matter,  for  I  shall  separate  mysell 
from  you  after  making  my  capture,  I  shall  pay  you  only 
an  earnest-money  of  twenty  crowns  each.  In  future  affairs 
we  shall  act  upon  the  principle  of  shares.  I  shall  take 
three  shares,  a  friend  who  works  with  me  will  take  two 
Bliares,  and  you  shall  take  one  share  apiece.  The  risk  will 
really  be  entirely  mine,  for  I  shall  take  charge  of  the  cap 
tives  we  make  at  our  rendezvous.  You,  after  lending  a 
hand  in  the  capture,  will  return  here  and  hold  yourself  in 
readiness  to  join  me,  and  carry  out  another  capture  as  soon 
as  I  have  made  all  the  necessary  arrangements.  Thus,  if 
by  any  chance  we  are  tracked,  I  alone  and  my  friend  will 
run  the  risk  of  capture  and  punishment.  In  that  way  we 
may,  in  the  course  of  a  few  months,  amass  a  much  larger 
booty  than  we  should  in  a  lifetime  spent  in  these  wretched 
adventures  upon  travelers. 

' '  Now,  it  is  for  you  to  say  whether  these  terms  will  suit 
you,  and  whether  you  are  ready  to  follow  my  orders  and 
obey  me  implicitly.  The  whole  task  of  making  the  neces 
sary  arrangements,  or  finding  out  the  habits  of  the  families 
one  of  whose  members  we  intend  carrying  off,  of  bribing 
nurses  or  duennas,  will  be  all  my  business.  You  will 
simply  have  to  meet  when  you  are  summoned  to  aid  in  the 
actual  enterprise,  and  then,  when  our  captive  is  safely 
housed,  to  return  here  or  scatter  where  you  will  and  live 
at  ease  until  again  summoned.  The  utmost  fidelity  will 
be  necessary.  Large  rewards  will  in  many  cases  be  offered 
for  the  discovery  of  the  missing  persons,  and  one  traitor 
would  bring  ruin  upon  us  all ;  therefore  it  will  be  abso 
lutely  necessary  that  you  take  an  oath  of  fidelity  to  me,  and 
swear  one  and  all  to  punish  the  traitor  with  death.  Do 
you  agree  to  my  proposal  ?  " 

There  was  a  unanimous  exclamation  of  assent.  The 
plan  seemed  to  offer  probabilities  of  large  booty  with  a 
minimum  of  trouble  and  risk.  One  or  two  suggested  that 
they  should  like  to  join  in  the  first  capture  on  the  same 


208  Sr  ENGLAND 'S  AID. 

terms  as  the  others,  but  Gerald  at  once  pronounced  this  to 
be  impossible. 

"  This  is  my  own  affair/'  he  said,  "  and  money  is  not 
now  my  object.  As  you  will  only  be  required  to  meet  at 
a  given  hour  some  evening,  and  to  carry  off  a  captive  who 
will  not  be  altogether  unwilling  to  come,  there  will  be 
little  or  no  risk  in  the  matter,  and  twenty  crowns  will  not 
be  bad  pay  for  an  evening's  work.  After  that  you  will,  as 
I  have  said,  share  in  the  profits  of  all  future  captures  we 
may  undertake." 

The  band  all  agreed,  and  at  once  took  solemn  oaths  of 
fidelity  to  their  new  leader,  and  swore  to  punish  by  death 
any  one  of  their  numbe*.  who  should  betray  the  secrets  of 
the  body. 

"  That  is  well/'  Gerald  said  when  the  oaths  had  been 
taken.  "  It  may  be  a  week  before  you  receive  your  first 
summons.  Here  are  five  crowns  apiece  for  your  expenses 
up  to  that  time.  Let  one  of  you  be  in  front  of  the  great 
church  as  the  clock  strikes  eight  morning  and  evening. 
Do  not  wait  above  five  minutes  ;  if  I  am  coming  I  shall  be 
punctual.  In  the  meantime  take  counsel  among  your 
selves  as  to  the  best  hiding-place  that  can  be  selected.  Be 
tween  you  you  no  doubt  know  every  corner  and  hole  in  the 
country.  I  want  a  place  which  will  be  at  once  lonely  and 
far  removed  from  other  habitations,  but  it  must  be  at  the 
same  time  moderately  comfortable,  as  the  captives  we  take 
must  have  no  reason  to  complain  of  their  treatment  while 
in  my  hands.  Think  this  matter  over  before  I  again  see 

you." 

Gerald  then  joined  Geoffrey  outside,  and  found  that  the 
latter  was  beginning  to  be  anxious  at  his  long  absence. 
After  a  few  words  saying  that  everything  had  been  success 
fully  arranged,  the  two  friends  returned  together  to  their 
inn. 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AW. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE   FESTA    AT   SEVILLE. 

AND  now,  Gerald,  that  you  have  made  your  arrange 
ments  for  the  second  half  of  the  plan,  how  are  you  going 
to  set  about  the  first  ?  because  you  said  that  you  intended 
to  give  Donna  Inez  the  option  of  flying  with  you  or  remain 
ing  with  her  father." 

"  So  I  do  still.  Before  I  make  any  attempt  to  carry  her 
off  I  shall  first  learn  whether  she  is  willing  to  run  the 
risks." 

"  But  how  are  you  going  to  set  about  it  ?  You  may  be 
quite  sure  that  she  never  goes  outside  the  garden  without 
having  her  duenna  with  her.  If  there  is  a  chapel  close  by, 
doubtless  she  will  go  there  once  a  day  ;  and  it  seems  to  me 
that  this  would  be  the  best  chance  of  speaking  to  her,  for 
I  do  not  see  how  you  can  possibly  introduce  yourself  into 
the  grounds." 

"  That  would  be  quite  out  of  the  question,  in  daylight 
at  any  rate,  Geoffrey.  I  do  not  suppose  she  ever  goes  be 
yond  the  terrace  by  the  house.  Bat  if  I  could  communi 
cate  with  her  she  might  slip  out  for  a  few  minutes  after 
dark,  when  the  old  lady  happened  to  be  taking  a  nap. 
The  question  is  how  to  get  a  letter  into  her  hands." 

'•'  I  think  I  might  manage  that,  Gerald.  It  is  not  likely 
that  the  duenna  ever  happened  to  notice  me.  I  might  there 
fore  put  on  any  sort  of  disguise  as  a  beggar  and  take  my 
place  on  the  road  as  she  goes  to  chapel,  and  somehow 
or  other  get  your  note  into  her  hand.  I  have  heard  Span 
ish  girls  are  very  quick  at  actinar  uiaon  the  smallest  sien, 
U 


210  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

and  if  I  can  manage  to  catch  her  eye  for  a  moment  she  may 
probably  be  ingenious  enough  to  afford  me  an  opportunity 
of  passing  the  note  to  her." 

"  That  might  be  done,"  Gerald  agreed.  "We  will  at 
once  get  disguises.  I  will  dress  myself  as  an  old  soldier, 
with  one  arm  in  a  sling  and  a  patch  over  my  eye  ;  you 
dress  up  in  somewhat  the  same  fashion  as  a  sailor  boy.  It  is 
about  twelve  miles  from  here  to  Ribaldo's  place.  We  can 
walk  that  easily  enough,  dress  ourselves  up  within  a  mile 
or  two  of  the  place,  and  then  go  on  and  reconuoiter  the 
ground." 

"  I  should  advise  you  to  write  your  note  before  you  start ; 
it  may  be  that  some  unexpected  opportunity  for  handing 
it  to  her  may  present  itself." 

"  I  will  do  that  :  but  let  us  sally  out  first  and  pick  up 
two  suits  at  some  dealer  in  old  clothes.  There  will  be  sure 
to  be  two  or  three  of  these  in  the  poorer  quarter." 

The  disguises  were  procured  without  difficulty,  and  put 
ting  them  in  a  small  wallet  they  started  before  noon  on 
their  walk.  In  four  hours  they  reached  the  boundary  of 
the  Marquis  of  Ribaldo's  estate.  Going  into  a  wood  they 
assumed  the  disguises,  packed  their  own  clothes  in  a  wal 
let,  and  hid  this  away  in  a  clump  of  bushes.  Then  they 
again  started — Gerald  Burke  with  his  arm  in  a  sling  and 
Geoffrey  limping  along  with  the  aid  of  a  thick  stick  he  had 
cut  in  the  wood. 

On  arriving  at  the  village,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the 
gates  of  the  mansion,  they  went  into  a  small  wine-shop 
and  called  for  two  measures  of  the  cheapest  wine  and  a  louf 
of  bread.  Here  they  sat  for  some  time,  listening  to  the 
conversation  of  the  peasants  who  frequented  the  wine 
shop.  Sometimes  a  question  was  asked  of  the  wayfarers. 
Gerald  replied,  for  his  companion's  Spanish  although  fluent 
was  not  good  enough  to  pass  as  that  of  a  native.  He  re 
plied  to  the  question  as  to  where  they  had  received  their 
hurts  that  they  were  survivors  of  the  Armada,  and  grum- 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  211 

bled  that  it  was  hard  indeed  that  men  who  had  fought  in 
the  Netherlands  and  had  done  their  duty  to  their  country 
should  be  turned  adrift  to  starve. 

"  We  have  enough  to  pay  for  our  supper  and  a  night's 
lodging,"  he  said,  "  but  where  we  are  going  to  take  our 
meal  to-morrow  is  more  than  I  can  say,  unless  we  can  meet 
with  some  charitable  people." 

"  If  you  take  your  place  by  the  roadside  to-morrow 
morning,"  one  of  the  peasants  said,  "  you  may  obtain 
charity  from  Donna  Inez  de  Ribaldo.  She  comes  every 
morning  to  mass  here  ;  and  they  say  she  has  a  kind  heart, 
which  is  more  than  men  give  her  father  the  marquis  the 
credit  of  possessing.  We  have  not  many  poor  round  here, 
for  at  this  time  of  year  all  hands  are  employed  in  the  vine 
yards,  therefore  there  is  the  more  chance  of  your  obtaining 
a  little  help." 

"  Thank  you  ;  I  will  take  your  advice,"  Gerald  said. 
"  I  suppose  she  is  sure  to  come  ?" 

"  She  is  sure  enough  ;  she  never  misses  when  she  is  stay 
ing  here." 

That  night  the  friends  slept  on  a  bundle  of  straw  in  an 
outhouse  behind  the  wine-shop,  and  arranged  everything  ; 
and  upon  the  following  morning  took  their  seats  by  the 
roadside  near  the  village.  The  bell  of  the  chapel  was  al 
ready  sounding,  and  in  a  few  minutes  they  saw  two  ladies 
approaching,  followed  at  a  very  short  distance  by  a  serving- 
man.  They  had  agreed  that  the  great  patch  over  Gerald's 
eye,  aided  by  the  false  mustachios,  so  completely  dis 
guised  his  appearance  that  they  need  have  no  fear  of  his 
being  recognized  ;  and  it  was  therefore  decided  he  should 
do  the  talking.  As  Donna  Inez  came  up  he  commenced 
calling  out  :  "  Have  pity,  gracious  ladies,  upon  two 
broken-down  soldiers.  We  have  gone  through  all  the  dan 
gers  and  hardships  of  the  terrible  voyage  of  the  great  Ar- 
inada.  We  served  in  the  ship  San  Josef,  and  are  now 
broken  down,  and  have  no  means  of  earning  our  living. " 


212  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

Gerald  had  somewhat  altered  Lis  natural  voice  while 
speaking,  but  Geoffrey  was  watching  Donna  Inez  closely, 
and  saw  her  start  when  he  began  to  speak  ;  and  when  he 
said  they  had  been  on  board  the  San  Josef  a  flush  of  color 
came  across  her  face. 

"  We  must  relieve  these  poor  men/'  she  said  to  the  du 
enna  ;  "it  is  pitiful  to  see  them  in  such  a  state." 

"  We  know  not  that  their  tale  is  true,"  the  duenna  re 
plied  sharply.  "Every  beggar  in  our  days  pretends  to  be 
a  broken-down  soldier." 

At  this  moment  Donna  Inez  happened  to  glance  at  Geof 
frey,  who  raised  his  hand  to  his  face  and  permitted  a  cor 
ner  of  a  letter  to  be  momentarily  seen. 

"An  impostor  !"  Gerald  cried  in  a  loud  voice.  "To 
think  that  I,  suffering  from  my  terrible  wounds,  should  be 
taken  as  an  impostor,"  and  with  a  hideous  yell  he  tumbled 
down  as  if  in  a  fit,  and  rolled  over  and  over  on  the  ground 
towards  the  duenna. 

Seized  with  alarm  at  hio  approach,  she  turned  and  ran  a 
few  paces  backward.  As  slic  did  so  Geoffrey  stepped  up 
to  Inez  and  held  out  the  note,  which  she  took  and  con 
cealed  instantly  in  her  dress. 

"There  is  nothing  to  be  ularmed  at,"  she  cried  to  the 
duenna.  "  The  poor  man  is  doubtless  in  a  fit.  Here,  my 
poor  fellow,  get  aid  for  your  comrade,"  and  taking  out  her 
purse  she  handed  a  dollar  to  Geoffrey,  and  then  joining 
the  duenna  proceeded  on  her  way. 

Geoffrey  knelt  beside  his  prostrate  companion  and  ap 
peared  to  be  endeavoring  to  restore  him,  until  the  ladies 
and  their  servant  were  out  of  sight. 

"That  was  well  managed,"  Gerald  Burke  said,  sitting  up 
as  soon  as  a  turn  of  the  road  hid  them  from  view.  "  Kow 
we  shall  have  our  answer  to-morrow.  Thank  goodness 
there  is  no  occasion  for  us  to  remain  any  longer  in  these 
garments  ! " 

They  went  to  the  wood  and  resumed  their  usual  attire, 


.  Aid  1 


GEOFFREY  GIVES  INEZ  HER  LOVER  s  NOTE.— Paje 


BY  ENGLAND '  S  AID.  213 

and  then  walked  to  a  large  village  some  four  miles  away, 
$nd  putting  up  at  the  principal  inn  remained  there  until 
early  the  next  morning  ;  than  they  walked  back  to  the 
village  they  had  left  on  the  previous  day  and  posted  them 
selves  in  a  thicket  by  the  roadside,  so  that  they  could  see 
passers-by  without  being  themselves  observed. 

"  My  fate  will  soon  be  decided  now,"  Gerald  said.  "  Will 
she  wear  a  white  flower  or  not  ?  " 

"  I  am  pretty  sure  that  she  will/'  Geoffrey  said.  "  She 
would  not  have  started  and  colored  when  she  recognized 
your  voice  if  she  did  not  love  you.  I  do  not  think  you 
need  be  under  much  uneasiness  on  that  score." 

In  half  an  hour  the  ladies  again  came  along,  followed  as 
before  by  their  servants.  Donna  Inez  wore  a  bunch  of 
white  flowers  in  her  dress. 

"  There  is  my  answer/'  Gerald  said.  "  Thank  heaven  ! 
she  loves  me,  and  is  ready  to  fly  with  me,  and  will  steal  out 
some  time  after  dark  to  meet  me  in  the  garden." 

As  there  was  no  occasion  for  him  to  stay  longer,  Geoffrey 
returned  to  the  village  where  they  slept  the  night  before, 
and  accounted  for  his  companion's  absence  by  saying  that 
he  had  been  detained  on  business  and  would  probably  not 
return  until  late  at  night,  as  he  would  not  be  able  to  see 
the  person  with  whom  he  had  affairs  to  transact  until  late. 
It  was  past  ten  o'clock  when  Gerald  Burke  returned. 

"  It  is  all  arranged,  Geoffrey.  I  hid  in  the  garden  close 
by  the  terrace  as  soon  as  it  became  dark.  An  hour  later 
she  came  out  and  sauntered  along  the  terrace  until  I  softly 
called  her  name  ;  then  she  came  to  me.  She  loves  me  with 
all  her  heart,  and  is  ready  to  share  my  fate  whatever  it  may 
be.  Her  father  only  two  days  ago  had  ordered  her  to  pre 
pare  for  her  marriage  with  Don  Philip,  and  she  was  in 
despair  until  she  recognized  my  voice  yesterday  morning. 
She  is  going  with  her  father  to  a  grand  f esta  at  Seville  next 
Wednesday.  They  will  stop  there  two  nights — the  one 
before  the  festa  and  the  one  after.  I  told  her  that  I  could 


214  BY  ENGLAND1  S  AID. 

not  say  yet  whether  I  should  make  the  attempt  to  carry 
her  off  on  her  journey  or  after  her  return  here,  as  that 
must  depend  upon  circumstances.  At  any  rate,  that  gives 
us  plenty  of  time  to  prepare  our  plans.  To-morrow  we 
will  hire  horses  and  ride  to  Seville,  and  I  will  there  arrange 
with  one  of  my  friends  at  the  Irish  College  to  perform  the 
ceremony.  However,  we  will  talk  it  all  over  to-morrow 
as  we  ride.  I  feel  as  sleepy  as  a  dog  now  after  the  day's 
excitement." 

Upon  the  road  next  day  they  agreed  that  if  possible  they 
would  manage  to  get  Inez  away  in  Seville  itself.  Owing 
to  the  large  number  of  people  who  would  be  attracted  there 
to  witness  the  grand  procession  and  high  mass  at  the 
cathedral,  the  streets  would  be  crowded,  and  it  might  be 
possible  for  Inez  to  slip  away  from  those  with  her.  If  this 
could  be  managed  it  would  be  greatly  preferable  to  the 
employment  of  the  men  to  carry  her  off  by  force.  There 
fore  they  agreed  that  the  band  should  be  posted  so  that 
the  party  could  be  intercepted  on  its  way  back ;  but  that 
this  should  be  a  last  resource,  and  that  if  possible  Inez 
should  be  carried  off  in  Seville  itself. 

On  reaching  Seville  they  put  up  at  an  inn.  Gerald  at 
once  proceeded  to  the  Irish  College.  Here  he  inquired  for 
a  young  priest,  who  had  been  a  near  neighbor  of  his  in 
Ireland  and  a  great  friend  of  his  boyhood.  He  was,  he 
knew,  about  to  return  home.  He  found  that  he  was  at 
the  moment  away  from  Seville,  having  gone  to  supply  the 
place  of  a  village  cure  who  had  been  taken  suddenly  ill. 
This  village  was  situated,  he  was  told,  some  six  miles  south 
east  of  the  town.  It  was  already  late, in  the  afternoon,  but 
time  was  precious  ;  and  Gerald,  hiring  a  fresh  horse,  rode 
out  at  once  to  the  village,  ilis  friend  was  delighted  to 
see  him,  for  they  had  not  met  since  Gerald  passed  through 
Seville  on  his  way  to  join  the  Armada  at  Cadiz,  and  the 
young  priest  had  not  heard  whether  he  had  escaped  the 
nerils  of  the  vovaee. 


B  F  ENGLAND '  8  AID.  215 

"  It  is  lucky  you  have  come,  Gerald/'  he  said  when  the 
vfirst  greetings  were  over,  "for  I  am  going  to  return  to 
Ireland  in  a  fortnight's  time.  I  am  already  appointed  to 
a  charge  near  Cork,  and  am  to  sail  in  a  Bristol  ship  which 
is  expected  in  Cadiz  about  that  time.  Is  there  any  chance 
of  my  meeting  you  there  ?  " 

"  An  excellent  chance,  Denis,  though  my  route  is  not  as 
clearly  marked  out  as  yours  is.  I  wish  to  heaven  that  I 
could  go  by  the  same  ship.  And  that  leads  to  what  I  have 
come  to  see  you  about,"  and  he  then  told  his  friend  the 
service  he  wished  him  to  render. 

"  It  is  rather  a  serious  business,  Gerald ;  and  a  nice 
scrape  I  should  get  in  if  it  were  found  out  that  I  had 
solemnized  the  marriage  of  a  young  lady  under  age  with 
out  the  consent  of  her  father,  and  that  father  a  powerful 
nobleman.  However,  I  am  not  the  man  to  fail  you  at  a 
pinch,  and  if  matters  are  well  managed  there  is  not  much 
risk  of  its  being  found  out  that  I  had  a  hand  in  it  until  I 
am  well  away,  and  once  in  Ireland  no  one  is  likely  to  make 
any  great  fuss  over  my  having  united  a  runaway  pair  in 
Spain.  Besides,  if  you  and  the  young  lady  have  made  up 
your  minds  to  run  away,  it  is  evidently  necessary  that  you 
should  be  married  at  once  ;  so  my  conscience  is  perfectly 
clear  in  the  business.  And  now,  what  is  your  plan  ?  " 

"  The  only  part  of  my  plan  that  is  settled  is  to  bring  her 
here  and  marry  her.  After  that  I  shall  have  horses  ready, 
and  we  will  ride  by  unfrequented  roads  to  Malaga  or  some 
other  port  and  take  a  passage  in  a  ship  sailing  say  to  Italy, 
for  there  is  no  chance  of  getting  a  vessel  hence  to  England. 
Once  in  Italy  there  will  be  no  difficulty  in  getting  a  passage 
to  England.  I  have  with  me  a  young  Englishman,  as 
staunch  a  friend  as  one  can  need.  I  need  not  tell  you  all 
about  how  I  became  acquainted  with  him ;  but  he  is  as 
anxious  to  get  out  of  Spain  as  I  am,  and  that  is  saying  no 
little." 

"It  seems  rather  a  vague  plan,  Gerald.     There  is  sure 


216  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

to  be  a  great  hue  and  cry  as  soon  as  the  young  lady  is 
found  to  be  missing.  The  marquis  is  a  man  of  great 
influence,  and  the  authorities  will  use  every  effort  to  en 
able  him  to  discover  her." 

"  You  see,  Denis,  they  will  have  no  reason  for  supposing 
that  I  have  had  any  hand  in  the  matter,  and  therefore  no 
special  watch  will  be  set  at  the  ports.  The  duenna  for  her 
own  sake  is  not  likely  to  say  a  word  about  any  passages 
she  may  have  observed  between  us  at  Madrid,  and  she 
is  unaware  that  there  have  been  any  communications 
with  her  since. " 

"  I  suppose  you  will  at  once  put  on  disguises,  Gerald.** 
'•  Yes,  that  will  of  course  be  the  first  thing. " 
"  If  you  dress  her  as  a  young  peasant  woman  of  the  better 
class  and  yourself  as  a  small  cultivator,  I  will  mention  to  my 
servant  that  I  am  expecting  my  newly-married  niece  and  her 
husband  to  stay  with  me  for  a  few  days.  The  old  woman  will 
have  no  idea  that  I,  an  Irishman,  would  not  have  a  Spanish 
niece,  and  indeed  I  do  not  suppose  that  she  has  any  idea 
that  I  am  not  a  Spaniard.  I  will  open  the  church  myself 
and  perform  the  service  late  in  the  evening,  so  that  no  one 
will  be  aware  of  what  is  going  on.  Of  course  I  can  put 
up  your  friend  too.  Then  you  can  stay  quietly  here  as 
long  as  you  like." 

"  That  will  do  admirably,  Denis  ;  but  I  think  we  had 
best  go  on  the  next  morning,"  Gerald  said,  "although  it 
will  be  a  day  or  two  before  there  is  anything  like  an 
organized  pursuit.  It  will  be  supposed  that  she  is  in  Se 
ville,  and  inquiries  will  at  first  be  confined  to  that  town. 
If  she  leaves  a  note  behind  saying  that  she  is  determined 
even,  to  take  the  veil  rather  than  marry  the  man  her 
father  has  chosen  for  her,  that  will  cause  additional  de 
lay.  It  will  be  supposed  that  she  is  concealed  in  the  house 
of  some  friend,  or  that  she  has  sought  a  refuge  in  a  nun 
nery,  and  at  any  rate  there  is  not  likely  to  be  any  search 
over  the  country  for  some  days,  especially  as  her  father 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  217 

will  naturally  be  anxious  that  what  he  will  consider  an  act 
of  rebellion  on  the  part  of  his  daughter  shall  not  become 
^publicly  known." 

"  All  this,  of  course,  is  if  we  succeed  in  getting  her  clear 
away  during  the  fete.  If  we  have  to  fall  back  on  the  other 
plan  I  was  talking  of  and  carry  her  off  by  force  on  the  way 
home,  the  search  will  be  immediate  and  general.  In  that 
case  nothing  could  be  better  than  your  plan  that  we  should 
stop  here  quietly  for  a  few  days  with  you.  They  will  be 
searching  for  a  band  of  robbers  and  will  not  dream  of 
making  inquiry  for  the  missing  girl  in  a  quiet  village  like 
this." 

"  Well,  we  will  leave  that  open,  Gerald.  I  shall  let  it 
be  known  that  you  are  expected,  and  whenever  you  arrive 
you  will  be  welcome." 

As  soon  as  the  point  was  arranged  Gerald  again  mounted 
his  horse  and  returned  to  Seville.  There  upon  the  follow 
ing  morning  he  engaged  a  lodging  for  the  three  days  of 
the  festa  in  a  quiet  house  in  the  outskirts  of  the  town,  and 
they  then  proceeded  to  purchase  the  various  articles  neces 
sary  for  their  disguise  and  that  of  Inez.  The  next  morn 
ing  they  started  on  their  return  to  Jerea.  Here  Gerald 
made  arrangements  with  the  band  to  meet  him  in  a  wood 
on  the  road  to  Cadiz  at  eight  in  the  morning  on  the  d»y 
following  the  termination  of  the  festa  at  Seville.  One  of 
the  party  was  to  proceed  on  that  day  to  the  house  among 
the  hills  they  had  fixed  upon  as  their  hiding-place,  and  to 
get  provisions  and  everything  requisite  for  the  reception 
of  their  captive.  They  received  another  five  crowns  each, 
the  remaining  fifteen  was  to  be  paid  them  as  soon  as  they 
arrived  with  their  captive  at  the  house. 

The  party  remained  in  ignorance  as  to  the  age  and  sex 
of  the  person  they  were  to  carry  off,  and  had  little  curio 
sity  as  to  the  point,  as  they  regarded  this  but  a  small  ad 
venture  in  comparison  to  the  lucrative  schemes  in  which 
they  were  afterwards  to  be  sharers. 


218  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

These  arrangements  made,  Gerald  and  Geoffrey  returned 
to  Seville,  and  reached  that  city  on  the  eve  of  the  com 
mencement  of  the  festa,  and  took  up  their  abode  at  the 
lodging  they  had  hired.  On  the  following  morning  they 
posted  themselves  in  the  street  by  which  the  party  they  ex 
pected  would  arrive.  Both  were  attired  in  quiet  citizen 
dress,  and  Gerald  retained  his  formidable  mustachios  and 
bushy  eyebrows. 

In  two  or  three  hours  a  coach  accompanied  by  four 
lackeys  on  horseback  came  up  the  street,  and  they  saw  that 
it  contained  the  Marquis  of  Kibaldo,  his  daughter,  and  her 
duenna.  They  followed  a  short  distance  behind  it  until  it 
entered  the  courtyard  of  a  stately  mansion,  which  they 
learnt  on  inquiry  from  a  passer-by  belonged  to  the  Duke 
of  Sottomayor.  The  streets  were  already  crowded  with 
people  in  holiday  attire,  the  church  bells  were  ringing, 
and  flags  and  decorations  of  all  kinds  waved  along  the 
route  that  was  to  be  followed  by  the  great  procession.  The 
house  did  not  stand  on  this  line,  and  it  was  necessary 
therefore  for  its  inmates  to  pass  through  the  crowd  either 
to  the  cathedral  or  to  the  balcony  of  the  house  from  which 
they  might  intend  to  view  the  procession  pass. 

Half  an  hour  after  the  arrival  of  the  coach,  the  marquis 
and  his  daughter,  accompanied  by  Don  Philip  de  Sotto 
mayor,  sallied  out,  escorted  by  six  armed  lackeys,  and  took 
their  way  towards  the  cathedral.  They  had,  however,  ar 
rived  very  late,  and  the  crowd  had  already  gathered  s? 
densely  that  even  the  efforts  of  the  lackeys  and  the  angry 
commands  of  the  marquis  and  Don  Philip  failed  to  enable 
them  to  make  a  passage.  Very  slowly  indeed  they  ad 
vanced  some  distance  into  the  crowd,  but  each  moment 
their  progress  became  slower.  Gerald  and  Geoffrey  had 
fallen  in  behind  them  and  advanced  with  them  as  they 
worked  themselves  in  the  crowd. 

Angry  at  what  they  considered  the  impertinence  of  the 
people  for  refusing  to  make  way  for  them,  the  nobles  pressed 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  219 

forward  and  engaged  in  an  angry  controversy  with  those 
in  front,  who  urged,  and  truly,  that  it  was  simply  impos 
sible  for  them  to  make  a  way,  so  wedged  in  were  they  by 
the  people  on  all  sides.  The  crowd,  neither  knowing  nor 
caring  who  were  those  who  thus  wished  to  take  precedence 
of  the  first  comers,  began  to  jeer  and  laugh  at  the  angry 
nobles,  and  when  these  threatened  to  use  force  threatened 
in  return. 

As  soon  as  her  father  had  left  her  side,  Gerald,  who  was 
immediately  behind  Inez,  whispered  in  her  ear,  "Xow  is 
the  time,  Inez.  Go  with  my  friend  ;  I  will  occupy  the  old 
woman." 

"  Keep  close  to  me,  seiiora,  and  pretend  that  you  are 
ill,"  Geoffrey  said  to  her,  and  without  hesitation  Inez 
turned  and  followed  him,  drawing  her  mantilla  more 
closely  over  her  face. 

"  Let  us  pass,  friends,"  Geoffrey  said  as  he  elbowed  his 
way  through  those  standing  behind  them, ' '  the  lady  needs 
air,"  and  by  vigorous  efforts  he  presently  arrived  at  the 
outskirts  of  the  crowd,  and  struck  off  with  his  charge  in 
the  direction  of  their  lodging.  "  Gerald  Burke  will  fol 
low  us  as  soon  as  he  can  get  out,"  he  said.  "Everything 
is  prepared  for  you,  senora,  and  all  arrangements  made." 

"  Who  are  you,  sir  ?  "  the  girl  asked.  "  I  do  not  recall 
your  face,  and  yet  I  seem  to  have  seen  it  before." 

"  I  am  English,  seiiora,  and  am  a  friend  of  Gerald 
Burke's.  When  in  Madrid  I  was  disguised  as  his  servant ; 
for  as  an  Englishman  and  a  heretic  it  would  have  gone 
hard  with  me  had  I  been  detected." 

There  were  but  few  people  in  the  streets  through  which 
they  passed,  the  whole  population  having  flocked  either  to 
the  streets  through  which  the  procession  was  to  pass,  or  to 
the  cathedral  or  churches  it  was  to  visit  on  its  way.  Gerald 
Lad  told  Inez  at  their  interview  that,  although  he  had 
made  arrangements  for  carrying  her  off  by  force  on  the 
journey  to  or  from  Seville,  he  should,  if  possible,  take  ad- 


2-20  B  T  ENGLAND  '5  AID. 

Tuutuge  of  the  crowd  at  the  function  to  draw  her  away 
from  her  companions.  She  had,  therefore,  put  on  her 
thickest  lace  mantilla,  and  this  now  completely  covered 
her  face  from  the  yiew  of  passers-by.  Several  times  she 
glanced  back." 

"  Do  not  be  uneasy  about  him,  seSora,"  Geoffrey  said. 
"  He  will  not  try  to  extricate  himself  from  the  crowd  until 
you  are  discovered  to  be  missing,  as  to  do  so  would  be  to 
attract  attention.  As  soon  as  your  losa  is  discovered  he 
will  make  his  way  out,  and  will  then  come  on  at  the  top  of 
his  speed  to  the  place  whither  I  am  conducting  you,  and  I 
expect  that  we  shall  find  him  at  the  door  awaiting  us." 

A  quarter  of  an  hour's  walk  took  them  to  the  lodging, 
and  Inez  gave  a  little  cry  of  joy  as  the  door  was  opened  to 
them  by  Gerald  himself. 

"  The  people  of  the  house  are  all  out,"  he  said,  after 
their  first  greeting.  "  In  that  room  you  will  find  a  peasant 
girl's  dress.  Dress  yourself  as  quickly  as  you  can  ;  wo 
shall  be  ready  for  you  in  attire  to  match.  Yon  had  best 
do  up  your  own  things  into  a  bundle,  which  I  will  carry. 
If  they  were  left  here  they  might,  when  the  news  of  your 
being  missing  gets  abroad,  afford  a  clue  to  the  manner  of 
your  escape.  I  will  tell  you  all  about  the  arrangements  we 
have  made  as  we  go  along. " 

"  Have  you  arranged — "  and  she  hesitated. 

"  Yes,  an  Irish  priest,  who  is  an  old  friend  of  mine,  will 
perform  the  ceremony  this  evening." 

A  few  minutes  later  two  seeming  peasants  and  a  peasant 
girl  issued  out  from  the  lodging.  The  two  men  carried 
stout  sticks  with  bundles  slung  over  them. 

"  Be  careful  of  that  bundle,"  Inez  said,  "for  there  are 
all  my  jewels  in  it.  After  what  you  had  said  I  concealed 
them  all  about  me.  They  are  my  fortune,  you  know. 
Kow,  tell  me  how  you  got  on  in  the  crowd." 

"  I  first  pushed  rather  roughly  against  the  duenna,  and 
then  made  the  most  profuse  apoloaries,  saying  that  it  wa« 


B  T  ENGLAND '  S  AID.  221 

shameful  people  should  crowd  so,  and  that  they  ought  at 
i>nce  to  make  way  for  a  lady  who  was  evidently  of  high 
rank.  This  mollified  her,  and  we  talked  for  three  or  four 
minutes  ;  and  in  the  meantime  the  row  in  front,  caused 
by  your  father  and  the  lackeys  quarreling  with  the  peo 
ple,  grew  louder  and  louder.  The  old  lady  became  much 
alarmed,  and  indeed  the  crowd  swayed  about  so  that  she 
clung  to  my  arm.  Suddenly  she  thought  of  you,  and 
turning  round  gave  a  scream  when  she  found  you  were 
missing.  '  What  is  the  matter  ?  '  I  asked  anxiously. 
'  The  young  lady  with  me  !  She  was  here  but  an  instant 
ago!*  (She  had  forgotten  you  for  fully  five  minutes.) 
'  What  can  have  become  of  her  ?  ' 

"  I  suggested  that  no  doubt  yon  were  close  by,  but  had 
got  separated  from  her  by  the  pressure  of  the  crowd. 
However,  she  began  to  squall  so  loudly  that  the  marquis 
looked  round.  He  was  already  in  a  towering  rage,  and  he 
asked  angrily,  '  What  are  you  making  all  this  noise  about  ?' 
and  then  looking  round  exclaimed,  '  Where  is  Inez  ? ' 
*  She  was  here  a  moment  since  ! '  the  old  lady  exclaimed, 
'  and  now  she  has  got  separated  from  me.'  Your  father 
looked  in  vain  among  the  crowd,  and  demanded  whether 
any  one  had  seen  you.  Some  one  said  that  a  lady  who 
was  fainting  had  made  her  way  out  five  minutes  before. 
The  marquis  used  some  strong  language  to  the  old  lady, 
and  then  informed  Don  Philip  what  had  happened,  and 
made  his  way  back  out  cf  the  crowd  with  the  aid  of  the 
lackeys,  and  is  no  doubt  inquiring  for  you  in  all  the  houses 
near  ;  but,  as  you  may  imagine,  I  did  not  wait.  I  fol 
lowed  close  behind  them  until  they  were  out  of  the  crowd, 
and  then  slipped  away,  and  once  round  the  corner  took  to 
my  heels  and  made  my  way  back,  and  got  in  two  or  three 
minutes  before  you  arrived." 

The  two  young  men  talked  almost  continuously  during 
their  walk  to  the  village  in  order  to  keep  up  the  spirits  of 
Donna  Inez,  and  to  prevent  her  from  thinking  of  the 


222  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

strangeness  o_  uer  position  and  the  perils  that  lay  befoiu 
them  before  safety  could  be  obtained.  Only  once  she 
spoke  of  the  future. 

"  Is  it  true,  Gerald,  that  there  are  always  storms  and 
rain  in  your  country,  and  that  you  never  see  the  sun,  for 
so  some  of  those  who  were  in  the  Armada  have  told  me  ?  " 

"  It  rains  there  sometimes,  Inez,  I  am  bound  to  admit ; 
but  it  is  often  fine,  and  the  sun  never  burns  one  up  as  it 
does  here.  I  promise  you  you  will  like  it,  dear,  when  you 
once  become  accustomed  to  it." 

"  I  do  not  think  I  shall/'  she  said,  shaking  her  head  ; 
"  I  am  accustomed  to  the  sun,  you  know.  But  I  would 
rather  be  with  you  even  in  such  an  island  as  they  told  me 
of  than  in  Spain  with  Don  Philip." 

The  village  seemed  absolutely  deserted  when  they  arrived 
there,  the  whole  population  having  gone  over  to  Seville  to 
take  part  in  the  great  fete.  Father  Denis  received  his  fair 
visitor  with  the  greatest  kindness.  "  Here,  Catherine," 
he  cried  to  his  old  servant,  "  here  are  the  visitors  I  told 
you  I  expected.  It  is  well  that  we  have  the  chambers 
prepared,  and  that  we  killed  that  capon  this  morning." 

That  evening  Gerald  Burke  and  Inez  de  Ribaldo  were 
married  in  the  little  church,  Geoffrey  Vickars  being  the 
only  witness.  The  next  morning  there  was  a  long  con 
sultation  over  their  plans.  "  I  could  buy  you  a  cart  in 
the  village  and  a  pair  of  oxen,  and  you  could  drive  to 
Malaga,"  the  priest  said,  ' '  but  there  would  be  a  difficulty 
about  changing  your  disguises  after  you  had  entered  the 
town.  I  think  that  the  boldest  plan  will  be  the  safest 
one.  I  should  propose  that  yon  should  ride  as  a  well-to- 
do  trader  to  Malaga,  with  your  wife  behind  yon  on  a 
pillion,  and  your  friend  here  as  your  servant.  Lost  as 
your  wife  was  in  the  crowd  at  the  fete,  it  will  be  a  long 
time  before  the  fact  that  she  has  fled  will  be  realized. 
For  a  day  or  two  the  search  will  be  conducted  secretly, 
and  only  when  the  house  of  every  friend  whom  she  might 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  223 

have  visited  has  been  searched  will  the  aid  of  the  author- 
Cities  be  called  in,  and  the  poorer  quarters,  where  she  might 
have  been  carried  by  two  or  three  ruffian  who  may  have 
met  her  as  she  emerged  in  a  fainting  cone  -;: ion,  as  is  sup 
posed,  from  the  crowd,  be  ransacked.  1  do  not  imagine 
that  any  search  will  be  made  throughout  the  country 
round  for  a  week  at  least,  by  which  time  you  will  have 
reached  Malaga,  and,  if  you  have  good  fortune,  be  on 
board  a  ship." 

This  plan  was  finally  agreed  to.  Gerald  and  his  friend 
at  once  went  over  to  Seville  and  purchased  the  necessary 
dresses,  together  with  two  strong  horses  and  equipments. 
It  was  evening  before  their  return  to  the  village.  Instead 
of  entering  it  at  once  they  rode  on  a  mile  further,  and 
fastened  the  horses  up  in  a  wood.  Gerald  would  have  left 
them  there  alone,  but  Geoffrey  insisted  on  staying  with 
them  for  the  ni  /lit.  "  I  care  nothing  about  sleeping  in 
the  open  air,  Gerald,  and  it  would  be  folly  to  risk  the 
success  of  our  enterprise  upon  the  chance  of  no  one  hap 
pening  to  come  through  the  wood,  and  finding  the  animals 
before  you  return  in  the  morning.  AVe  had  a  hearty  meal 
at  Seville,  and  I  shall  do  very  well  until  morning." 

Gerald  and  his  wife  took  leave  of  the  friendly  priest  at 
daybreak  the  next  morning,  with  the  hope  that  they  would 
very  shortly  meet  in  Ireland.  They  left  the  village  before 
any  one  was  stirring. 

The  peasant  clothes  had  been  left  behind  them.  Gerald 
carried  two  valises,  the  one  containing  the  garments  in 
which  Inez  had  fled,  the  other  his  own  attire — Geoffrey 
having  resumed  the  dress  he  had  formerly  worn  as  his 
servant. 

On  arriving  at  the  wood  the  party  mounted,  and  at  once 
proceeded  on  their  journey.  Four  days'  travel  took  them 
to  Malaga,  where  they  arrived  without  any  adventure 
whatever.  Once  or  twice  they  met  parties  of  rough-look 
ing  men ;  but  traveling  as  they  did  without  baggage 


224  B  T  ENGLAND '  S  AW. 

animals,  they  did  not  appear  promising  subjects  for  rob 
bery,  and  the  determined  appearance  of  master  and  man, 
each  armed  with  sword  and  pistols,  deterred  the  fellows 
from  an  attempt  which  promised  more  hard  knocks  than 
plunder. 

After  putting  up  at  an  inn  in  Malaga,  Gerald  went 
down  at  once  to  the  port  to  inquire  for  a  vessel  bound  foi 
Italy.  There  were  three  or  four  such  vessels  in  the  har 
bor,  and  he  had  no  difficulty  in  arranging  for  a  passage  to 
Naples  for  himself,  his  wife,  and  servant.  The  vessel  was 
to  sail  on  the  following  morning,  and  it  was  with  a  deep 
feeling  of  satisfaction  and  relief  that  they  went  on  board 
her,  and  an  hour  later  were  outside  the  port. 

"  It  seems  marvelous  to  me/'  Gerald  said,  as  he  looked 
back  upon  the  slowly-receding  town,  "  that  I  have  man 
aged  to  carry  off  my  prize  with  so  little  difficulty.  I  had 
expected  to  meet  with  all  sorts  of  dangers,  and  had  I  been 
the  peaceful  trader  I  looked,  our  journey  could  not  be 
more  uneventful." 

"  Perhaps  you  are  beginning  to  think  that  the  prize  is 
not  so  very  valuable  after  all/'  Inez  said,  "  since  you  have 
won  it  so  easily." 

"  I  have  not  begun  to  think  so  yet,"  Gerald  laughed 
happily.  "  At  any  rate  I  shall  wait  until  I  get  you  home 
before  such  ideas  begin  to  occur  to  me." 

"  Directly  I  get  to  Ireland,"  Inez  said,  "  I  shall  write 
to  my  father  and  tell  him  that  I  am  married  to  you,  and 
that  I  should  never  have  run  away  had  he  not  insisted  on 
my  marrying  a  man  I  hated.  I  shall,  of  course,  beg  him 
to  forgive  me  ;  but  I  fear  he  never  will." 

"  We  must  hope  that  he  will,  Inez,  and  that  he  will  ask 
you  to  come  back  to  Spain  sometimes.  I  do  not  care  for 
myself,  you  know,  for  as  I  have  told  you  my  estate  in 
Ireland  is  amply  large  enough  for  my  wants  ;  but  I  shall 
be  glad,  for  your  sake,  that  you  should  be  reconciled  to 
lum. 


B Y  ENGLAND '  8  AI&.  225 

Inez  shook  her  head. 

"  You  do  not  know  my  father,  Gerald.  I  would  never 
go  back  to  Spain  again — not  if  he  promised  to  give  me  his 
whole  fortune.  My  father  never  forgives  ;  and  were  he  to 
entice  me  back  to  Spain,  it  would  be  only  to  shut  me  up 
and  to  obtain  a  dispensation  from  Rome  annulling  the 
marriage,  which  he  would  have  no  difficulty  in  doing. 
No,  you  have  got  me,  and  will  have  to  keep  me  for  good. 
I  shall  never  return  to  Spain,  never.  Possibly  when  my 
father  hears  from  me  he  may  send  me  over  money  to  make 
me  think  he  has  forgiven  me,  and  to  induce  me  some  day 
or  other  to  come  back  to  visit  him,  and  so  get  me  into  his 
power  again  j  but  that,  Gerald,  he  shall  never  do." 
15 


226  ^Y  ENGLAND  '8  AW. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  SUfiPlilSE   OF  BBEDA. 

LIONEL  VICKARS  had,  by  the  beginning  of  1590,  come 
to  speak  the  Dutch  language  well  and  fluently.  Includ 
ing  his  first  stay  in  Holland  he  had  now  been  there  eight 
een  months,  and  as  he  was  in  constant  communication 
with  the  Dutch  officers  and  with  the  population,  he  had 
constant  occasion  for  speaking  Dutch,  a  language  much 
mors  akin  to  English  than  any  other  continental  tongue, 
and  indeed  so  closely  allied  to  the  dialect  of  the  eastern 
counties  of  England,  that  the  fishermen  of  our  eastern 
ports  had  in  those  days  little  difficulty  in  conversing  with 
the  Hollanders. 

He  was  one  day  supping  with  Sir  Francis  Vere  when 
Prince  Maurice  and  several  of  his  officers  were  also  there. 
The  conversation  turned  upon  the  prospects  of  the  campaign 
of  the  ensuing  spring.  Lionel,  of  course,  took  no  part  in 
it,  but  listened  attentively  to  what  was  being  said,  and  was 
very  pleased  to  find  that  the  period  of  inactivity  was  draw 
ing  to  an  end,  and  that  their  commanders  considered  that 
they  had  now  gathered  a  force  of  sufficient  strength  to  as 
sume  the  offensive. 

"I  would,"  Prince  Maurice  said,  "that  we  could  gain 
Breda.  The  city  stands  like  a  great  sentinel  against  every 
movement  towards  Flanders,  and  enables  the  Spaniards  to 
penetrate  at  all  times  towards  the  heart  of  our  country  ; 
but  I  fear  that  it  is  altogether  beyond  our  means.  It  is 
one  of  the  strongest  cities  in  the  Netherlands,  and  my  an 
cestors,  who  were  its  lords,  little  thought  that  they  were 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 


227 


fortifying  and  strengthening  it  in  order  that  it  might  be  a 
thorn  in  the  side  of  their  country.  I  would  give  much, 
^indeed,  to  be  able  to  wrest  it  from  the  enemy  ;  but  I  fear 
it  will  be  long  before  we  can  even  hope  for  that.  It  could 
withstand  a  regular  siege  by  a  well-provided  army  for 
months  ;  and  as  to  surprise,  it  is  out  of  the  question,  for 


J 


BREDA 

1590. 


I  hear  that  the  utmost  vigilance  is  unceasingly  main 
tained.'' 

A  few  days  after  this  Lionel  was  talking  with  Captain 
de  Heraugiere,  who  had  also  been  at  the  supper.  He  had 
taken  part  in  the  defense  of  Sluys,  and  was  one  of  the 
officers  with  whom  Lionel  was  most  intimate. 

"It.  would  be  a  rare  enterprise  to  surprise  Breda,"  Cat>- 


228  B  T  ENGLAND '  8  AID. 

tain  de  Heraugiere  said  ;  "  but  I  fear  it  is  hopeless  to  think 
of  such  a  thing." 

"I  do  not  see  why  it  should  be,"  Lionel  said.  '•  I  was 
reading  when  I  was  last  at  home  about  our  wars  with  the 
Scotch,  and  there  were  several  cases  in  which  very  strong 
places  that  could  not  have  been  carried  by  assault  were 
captured  suddenly  by  small  parties  of  men  who  disguised 
themselves  as  wagoners,  and  hiding  a  score  or  two  of  their 
comrades  in  a  wagon  covered  with  firewood,  or  sacks  of 
grain,  boldly  went  up  to  the  gates.  When  there  they  cut 
the  traces  of  their  horses  so  that  the  gates  could  not  be 
closed,  or  the  portcullis  lowered,  and  then  falling  upon  the 
guards,  kept  them  at  bay  until  a  force,  hidden  near  the 
gates,  ran  up  and  entered  the  town.  I  see  not  why  a  similar 
enterprise  should  not  be  attempted  at  Breda." 

"Nor  do  I,"  Captain  Heraugiere  said;  "the  question 
is  how  to  set  about  such  a  scheme." 

"  That  one  could  not  say  without  seeing  the  place," 
Lionel  remarked.  "  I  should  say  that  a  plan  of  this  sort 
could  only  be  successful  after  those  who  attempted  it  had 
made  themselves  masters  of  all  particulars  of  the  place  and 
its  ways.  Everything  would  depend  upon  all  going 
smoothly  and  without  hitches  of  any  kind.  If  you  really 
think  of  undertaking  such  an  adventure,  Captain  Herau- 
gi£re,  I  should  be  very  glad  to  act  under  you  if  Sir  Francis 
Vere  will  give  me  leave  to  do  so  ;  but  I  would  suggest  that 
the  first  step  should  be  for  us  to  go  into  Breda  in  disguise. 
We  might  take  in  a  wagon-load  of  grain  for  sale,  or  merely 
carry  out  on  our  backs  baskets  with  country  produce,  or 
we  could  row  up  in  a  boat  with  fish." 

"  The  plan  is  certainly  worth  thinking  of,"  Captain 
Heraugiere  said.  "I  will  turn  it  over  in  my  mind  for  a 
day,  and  will  then  talk  to  you  again.  It  would  be  a  grand 
stroke,  and  there  would  be  great  honor  to  be  obtained  ; 
but  it  will  not  do  for  me  to  go  to  Prince  Maurice  and  lay 
it  before  him  until  we  have  a  plan  completely  worked  out, 


B  Y  ENGLAND » S  AIL.  229 

otherwise  we  are  more  likely  to  meet  with  ridicule  than 
praise." 

The  following  day  Captain  Heraguiere  called  at  Lionel's 
lodgings.  "  I  have  lain  awake  all  night  thinking  of  our 
scheme, "  he  said,  "and  have  resolved  to  carry  out  at  least 
the  first  part  of  it — to  enter  Breda  and  see  what  are  the 
prospects  of  success,  and  the  manner  in  which  the  matter 
had  best  be  set  about.  I  propose  that  we  two  disguise 
ourselves  as  fishermen,  and  going  down  to  the  river  be 
tween  Breda  and  Willemstad  bargain  with  some  fishermen 
going  up  to  Breda  with  their  catch  for  the  use  of  their 
boat.  While  they  are  selling  the  fish  we  can  survey  the 
town  and  see  what  is  the  best  method  of  introducing  a 
force  into  it.  When  our  plan  is  completed  we  will  go  to 
Voorne,  whither  Prince  Maurice  starts  to-morrow,  and  lay 
the  matter  before  him." 

"  I  will  gladly  go  with  you  to  Breda,"  Lionel  said,  "  and, 
as  far  as  I  can,  aid  you  there ;  but  I  think  that  it  would 
be  best  that  you  only  should  appear  in  the  matter  after 
wards.  I  am  but  a  young  volunteer,  and  it  would  be  well 
that  I  did  not  appear  at  all  in  the  matter,  which  you  had 
had  best  make  entirely  your  own.  But  I  hope,  Captain 
Heraugiere,  that  should  the  prince  decide  to  adopt  any 
plan  you  may  form,  and  intrust  the  matter  to  you,  that 
you  will  take  me  with  you  in  your  folio  wing. " 

"  That  I  will  assuredly,"  Captain  Heraugiere  said,  "  and 
will  take  care  that  if  it  should  turn  out  successful  youi 
share  in  the  enterprise  shall  be  known." 

"When  do  you  think  of  setting  about  it?"  Lionel 
asked. 

"  Instantly.  My  company  is  at  \7oorne,  and  I  should 
return  thither  with  the  prince  to-day.  I  will  at  once  go 
to  him  and  ask  for  leave  to  be  absent  on  urgent  affairs  for 
a  week.  Do  you  go  to  Sir  Francis  Vere  and  ask  for  a 
similar  time.  Do  not  tell  him,  if  you  can  help  it,  the  ex 
act  nature  of  your  enterprise.  But  if  you  cannot  obtain 


230  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

i 

leave  otherwise,  of  course  you  must  do  so.  I  will  be  back 
here  in  two  hours'  time.  We  can  then  at  once  get  our 
disguises,  and  hire  a  craft  to  take  us  to  Willemstad." 

Lionel  at  once  went  across  to  the  quarters  of  Sir  Francis 
Vere. 

"  I  have  come,  Sir  Francis,  to  ask  for  a  week's  leave  of 
absence. " 

"That  you  can  have,  Lionel.  What,  are  you  going 
shooting  ducks  on  the  frozen  meres  ?  "' 

"  No,  Sir  Francis.  I  am  going  on  a  little  expedition 
with  Captain  Heraugiere,  who  has  invited  me  to  accom 
pany  him.  We  have  an  idea  in  our  heads  that  may  per 
haps  be  altogether  useless,  but  may  possibly  bear  fruit.  In 
the  first  case  we  would  say  nothing  about  it,  in  the  second 
we  will  lay  it  before  you  on  our  return." 

"Very  well,"  Sir  Francis  said  with  a  smile.  "You 
showed  that  you  could  think  at  Sluys,  and  I  hope  some 
thing  may  come  of  this  idea  of  yours,  whatever  it  may 
be." 

At  the  appointed  time  Captain  Heraugiere  returned, 
having  obtained  leave  of  absence  from  the  prince.  They 
at  once  went  out  into  the  town  and  bought  the  clothes 
necessary  for  their  disguise.  They  returned  with  these 
to  their  lodgings,  and  having  put  them  on  went  down  to 
the  wharf,  where  the}'  had  no  difficulty  in  bargaining  with 
the  master  of  a  small  craft  to  take  them  to  Willemstad, 
as  the  Spaniards  had  no  ships  whatever  on  the  water  be 
tween  Rotterdam  and  Bergen-op-Zoom.  The  boat  was  to 
wait  three  days  for  them  at  that  town,  and  to  bring  them 
back  to  Rotterdam.  As  there  was  no  reason  for  delay 
they  at  once  went  on  board  and  cast  off.  The  distance 
was  but  thirty  miles,  and  just  at  nightfall  they  stepped 
ashore  at  the  town  of  Willemstad. 

The  next  morning  they  had  no  difficulty  in  arranging 
with  a  fisherman  who  was  going  up  to  Breda  with  a  cargo 
of  fish  to  take  the  place  of  two  of  his  boatmen  at  the  oars. 


B  T  ENGLAND '  8  AID.  281 

"  We  want  to  spend  a  few  hours  tlwe,"  Captain  Herau 
giere  said,  "  and  will  give  you  five  crowns  if  you  will 
leave  two  of  your  men  here  and  let  us  take  their  places." 

"  That  is  a  bargain,"  the  man  said  at  once ;  "  that  is, 
if  you  can  row,  for  we  shall  scarce  take  the  tide  up  to  the 
town,  and  must  keep  on  rowing  to  get  there  before  the  ebb 
begins." 

"  We  can  row,  though  perhaps  not  so  well  as  your  own 
men.  You  are,  I  suppose,  in  the  habit  of  going  there, 
and  are  known  to  the  guards  at  the  port  ?  They  are  not 
likely,  I  should  think,  to  notice  that  you  haven't  got  the 
same  crew  as  usual  ?  " 

"  There  is  no  fear  of  that,  and  if  they  did  I  could  easily 
say  that  two  of  my  men  were  unable  to  accompany  me  to 
day,  and  that  I  have  hired  fresh  hands  in  their  places." 

Two  of  the  men  got  out.  Captain  Heraugiere  and 
Lionel  Vickars  took  their  places,  and  the  boat  proceeded 
up  the  river.  The  oars  were  heavy  and  clumsy,  and  the 
new-comers  were  by  no  means  sorry  when,  after  a  row  of 
twelve  miles,  they  neared  Breda. 

"  What  are  the  regulations  for  entering  Breda  ?  "  Cap 
tain  Heruugiere  nsked  as  they  approached  the  town. 

"There  are  no  particular  regulations,"  the  master  of 
the  boat  said,  • '  save  that  on  entering  the  port  the  boat  is 
searched  to  see  that  it  contains  nothing  but  fish.  None 
are  allowed  to  enter  the  gates  of  the  town  without  giving 
their  names,  and  satisfying  the  officer  on  guard  that  they 
have  business  in  the  place." 

An  officer  came  on  board  as  the  boat  ran  up  alongside 
the  quay  and  asked  a  few  questions.  After  assisting  in 
getting  the  basket  of  fish  011  shore  Captain  Heraugiere  and 
Lionel  sauntered  away  along  the  quay,  leaving  the  fisher 
men  to  dispose  of  their  catch  to  the  townspeople,  who  had 
already  begun  to  bargain  for  them. 

The  river  Mark  flowed  through  the  town,  supplying  its 
moats  with  water.  Where  it  left  the  town  on  the  western 


282  B  Y  ENGLAND '  8  AID. 

side,  was  the  old  castle,  with  a  moat  of  its  own  and  strong 
fortified  lines.  Within  was  the  quay,  with  an  open  place 
called  the  fish-market  leading  to  the  gates  of  the  new 
castle.  There  were  600  Spanish  infantry  in  the  town  and 
100  in  the  castle,  and  100  cavalry.  The  governor  of  Breda, 
Edward  Lanzaveochia,  was  absent  superintending  the 
erection  of  new  fortifications  at  Gertruydenberg,  and  in 
his  absence  the  town  was  under  the  command  of  his  son 
Paolo. 

Great  vigilance  was  exercised.  All  vessels  entering  port 
were  strictly  examined,  and  there  was  a  guard-house  on 
the  quay.  Lying  by  one  of  the  wharves  was  a  large  boat 
laden  with  peat,  which  was  being  rapidly  unloaded,  the 
peat  being  sold  as  soon  as  landed,  as  fuel  was  very  short  in 
the  city. 

"  It  seems  to  me,"  Lionel  said  as  they  stood  for  a  minute 
looking  on,  "that  this  would  be  just  the  thing  for  us.  If 
we  could  make  an  arrangement  with  the  captain  of  one  of 
these  peat-boats  we  might  hide  a  number  of  men  in  the 
hold  and  cover  them  with  peat.  A  place  might  be  buil 
large  enough,  I  should  think,  to  hold  seventy  or  eighty 
men,  and  yet  be  room  for  a  quantity  of  peat  to  be  stowed 
over  them." 

"  A  capital  idea,"  Captain  Heraugiere  said.  '•'  The  peat 
comes  from  above  the  town.  We  must  find  out  where  the 
barges  are  loaded,  and  try  to  get  at  one  of  the  captains." 

After  a  short  walk  through  the  town  they  returned  to 
the  boat.  The  fisherman  had  already  sold  out  his  stock, 
and  was  glad  at  seeing  his  passengers  return  earlier  than 
he  expected ;  but  as  the  guard  was  standing  by  he  rated 
them  severely  for  keeping  him  waiting  so  long,  and  with  a 
muttered  excuse  they  took  their  places  in  the  boat  and 
rowed  down  the  river. 

*•  I  want  you  to  put  us  ashore  on  the  left  bank  as  soon 
as  we  are  out  of  sight  of  the  town,"  Captain  Heraugiere 
•aid.  "  As  it  will  be  heavy  work  getting  your  boat  back 


B Y  ENGLAND ' 8  AID.  233 

with  only  two  of  you,  I  will  give  you  a  couple  of  crowns 
beyond  the  amount  I  bargained  with  you  for. 

"  That  will  do  well  enough,"  the  man  said.  "  We 
have  got  the  tide  with  us,  and  can  drop  down  at  our 
leisure." 

As  soon  as  they  were  landed  they  made  a  wide  detour  to 
avoid  the  town,  and  coming  down  again  upon  the  river 
above  it,  followed  its  banks  for  three  miles,  when  they  put 
up  at  a  little  inn  in  the  small  village  of  Leur  on  its  bank. 
They  had  scarcely  sat  down  to  a  meal  when  a  man  came  in 
and  called  for  supper.  The  landlord  placed  another  plate 
at  the  table  near  them,  and  the  man  at  once  got  into  con 
versation  with  them,  and  they  learnt  that  he  was  master 
of  a  peat-boat  that  had  that  morning  left  Breda  empty. 

"We  were  in  Breda  ourselves  this  morning,"  Captain 
Heraugie're  said,  " and  saw  a  peat-boat  unloading  there. 
There  seemed  to  be  a  brisk  demand  for  the  fuel." 

"  Yes ;  it  is  a  good  trade  at  present,"  the  man  said. 
"  There  are  only  six  of  us  who  have  permits  to  enter  the 
port,  and  it  is  as  much  as  we  can  do  to  keep  the  town  sup 
plied  with  fuel ;  for,  you  see,  at  any  moment  the  river 
may  be  frozen  up,  so  the  citizens  need  to  keep  a  good  stock 
in  hand.  I  ought  not  to  grumble,  since  I  reap  the  benefit 
of  the  Spanish  regulations  ;  but  all  these  restrictions  on 
trade  come  mighty  hard  upon  the  people  of  Breda.  It 
was  not  so  in  the  old  time." 

After  supper  was  over  Captain  Heraugi^re  ordered  a 
couple  of  flasks  of  spirits,  and  presently  learned  from  the 
boatman  that  his  name  was  Adrian  Van  de  Berg,  and  that 
he  had  been  at  one  time  a  servant  in  the  household  of 
William  of  Orange.  Little  by  little  Captain  Heraugiere 
felt  his  way,  and  soon  found  that  the  boatman-  was  an  en 
thusiastic  patriot.  He  then  confided  to  him  that  he  him 
self  was  an  officer  in  the  State's  service,  and  had  come  to 
Breda  to  ascertain  whether  there  was  any  possibility  of 
capturing  the  town  by  surprise. 


234  B  Y  ENGLAND '  S  AID. 

"  We  hit  on  a  plan  to-day,"  lie  said,  "  which  promises 
a  chance  of  success  ;  but  it  needs  the  assistance  of  one 
ready  to  risk  his  life." 

"  I  am  ready  to  risk  my  life  in  any  enterprise  that  lias  a 
fair  chance  of  success/''  the  boatman  said,  "  but  I  do  not 
see  how  I  can  be  of  much  assistance." 

"  You  can  be  of  the  greatest  assistance  if  you  will,  and 
will  render  the  greatest  service  to  your  country  if  you  will 
join  in  our  plan.  What  we  propose  is,  that  we  should  con 
struct  a  shelter  of  boards  four  feet  high  in  the  bottom  of 
your  boat,  leading  from  your  little  cabin  aft  right  up  to 
the  bow.  In  this  I  calculate  we  could  stow  seventy  men  ; 
then  the  peat  could  be  piled  over  it,  and  if  you  entered 
the  port  somewhat  late  in  the  afternoon  yon  could  manage 
that  it  was  not  unladen  so  as  to  uncover  the  roof  of  our 
shelter  before  work  ceased  for  the  night.  Then  we  could 
sally  out,  overpower  the  guard  on  the  quay,  make  for  one 
of  the  gates,  master  the  guard  there,  and  open  it  to  our 
friends  without." 

"  It  is  a  bold  plan  and  a  good  one,"  Van  de  Berg  said, 
"  and  I  am  ready  to  run  my  share  of  the  risk  with  you. 
I  am  so  well  known  in  Breda  that  they  do  not  search  the 
cargo  very  closely  when  I  arrive,  and  I  see  no  reason  why 
the  party  hidden  below  should  not  escape  observation.  I 
will  undertake  my  share  of  the  business  if  you  decide  to 
carry  it  out.  I  served  the  prince  for  fifteen  years,  and  am 
"seady  to  serve  his  son.  There  are  plenty  of  planks  to  be 
obtained  at  a  place  three  miles  above  here,  and  it  would 
not  take  many  hours  to  construct  the  false  deck.  If  you 
send  a  messenger  here  giving  me  two  days'  notice,  it  shall 
be  built  and  the  peat  stowed  on  it  by  the  time  you  ar 
rive." 

It  was  late  at  night  before  the  conversation  was  concluded, 
and  the  next  morning  Captain  Heraugiere  and  Lionel 
started  on  their  return,  struck  the  river  some  miles  below 
Breda,  chained  a  passage  over  the  river  in  a  passing  boat 


235 

..:.': 3  in  the  afternoon,  and.  sleeping  at  Willemstad,  went 
on  >o:ird  their  boat  next  morning  and  returned  to  liotter- 
dam.  It  was  arranged  that  Lionel  should  say  nothing 
about  their  journey  until  Captain  Heraugi£re  had  opened 
the  subject  to  Prince  Maurice. 

'•  You  are  back  before  your  time/'  Sir  Francis  Vere 
said  when  Lionel  reported  himself  for  duty.  "  Has  any 
thing  come  of  this  project  of  yours,  whatever  it  may 

i.     9" 

be  • 

"We  hope  so,  sir.  Captain  Heraugiere  will  make  his 
report  to  Prince  Maurice.  He  is  the  leader  of  the  party, 
and  therefore  we  thought  it  best  that  he  should  report  to 
Prince  Maurice,  who,  if  he  thinks  well  of  it,  will  of  course 
communicate  with  you." 

The  next  day  a  message  arrived  frem  Voorne  requesting 
Sir  Francis  Vere  to  proceed  thither  to  discuss  with  the 
prince  a  matter  of  importance.  He  returned  after  two 
days'  absence,  and  presently  sent  for  Lionel. 

"  This  is  a  rare  enterprise  that  Captain  Heraugiere  has 
proposed  to  the  prince,"  he  said,  "  and  promises  well  for 
success.  It  is  to  be  kept  a  profound  secret,  and  a  few  only 
will  know  aught  of  it  until  it  is  executed.  Heraugiere  is 
of  course  to  have  command  of  the  party  which  is  to  be 
hidden  in  the  barge,  and  is  to  pick  out  eighty  men  from 
the  garrisons  of  Gorcum  and  Lowesteyn.  He  has  begged 
that  you  shall  be  of  the  party,  as  he  says  that  the  whole 
matter  was  in  the  first  case  suggested  to  him  by  you.  The 
rest  of  the  men  and  officers  will  be  Dutch." 

A  fortnight  later,  on  the  22d  of  February,  Sir  Francis 
Vere  on  his  return  from  the  Hague,  where  Prince  Maurice 
now  was,  told  Lionel  that  all  was  arranged.  The  message 
had  come  down  from  Van  de  Berg  that  the  hiding-place 
was  constructed.  They  were  to  join  Heraugiere  the  next 
dav. 

On  the  24th  of  February  the  little  party  started.  Herau- 
giere  had  chosen  young,  active,  and  daring  men.  With 


236  -flF  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

him  were  Captains  Logier  and  Fervet,  and  Lieutenant 
Held.  They  embarked  on  board  a  vessel,  and  were  landed 
near  the  mouth  of  the  Mark,  as  De  Berg  was  this  time 
going  to  carry  the  peat  up  the  river  instead  of  down,  fear 
ing  that  the  passage  of  seventy  men  through  the  country 
would  attract  attention.  The  same  night  Prince  Maurice, 
Sir  Francis  Vere,  Count  Hohenlohe,  and  other  officers 
sailed  to  Willemstad,  their  destination  having  been  kept 
a  strict  secret  from  all  but  those  engaged  in  the  enterprise. 
Six  hundred  English  troops,  eight  hundred  Dutch,  and 
three  hundred  cavalry  had  been  drawn  from  different  gar 
risons,  and  were  also  to  land  at  Willemstad. 

When  Heraugiere's  party  arrived  at  the  point  agreed  on 
at  eleven  o'clock  at  night,  Van  de  Berg  was  not  there,  nor 
was  the  barge  ;  and  angry  and  alarmed  at  his  absence  they 
searched  about  for  him  for  hours,  and  at  last  found  him 
in  the  village  of  Terheyde.  He  made  the  excuse  that  he 
had  overslept  himself,  and  that  he  was  afraid  the  plot  had 
been  discovered.  As  everything  depended  upon  his  co 
operation,  Heraugiere  abstained  from  the  angry  reproaches 
which  the  strange  conduct  of  the  man  had  excited  ;  and  as 
it  was  now  too  late  to  do  anything  that  night,  a  meeting 
was  arranged  for  the  following  evening,  and  a  message 
was  despatched  to  the  prince  telling  him  that  the  expedi 
tion  was  postponed  for  a  day.  On  their  return,  the  men 
all  gave  free  vent  to  their  indignation. 

"I  have  no  doubt/'  Heraugiere  said,  "that  the  fellow 
has  turned  coward  now  that  the  time  has  come  to  face  the 
danger.  It  is  one  thing  to  talk  about  a  matter  aa  long  as 
it  is  far  distant,  but  another  to  look  it  in  the  face  when 
is  is  close  at  hand.  I  do  not  believe  that  he  will  come  to 
morrow." 

"If  he  does  not  he  will  deserve  hanging,"  Captain 
Logier  said  ;  "  after  all  the  trouble  he  has  given  in  getting 
the  troops  together,  and  after  bringing  the  prince  himself 
over." 


B  T  ENGLAND '  8  AID.  237 

"  It  will  go  very  near  hanging  if  not  quite/'  Heraugiere 
muttered.  "  If  he  thinks  that  he  is  going  to  fool  us  with 
impunity,  he  is  mightily  mistaken.  If  he  is  a  wise  man  he 
will  start  at  daybreak,  and  get  as  far  away  aa  he  can  be 
fore  nightfall  if  he  does  not  mean  to  come." 

The  next  day  the  party  remained  in  hiding  in  a  barn, 
and  in  the  evening  again  went  down  to  the  river.  There 
was  a  barge  lying  there  laden  high  with  turf.  A  general 
exclamation  of  satisfaction  broke  from  all  when  they  saw 
it.  There  were  two  men  on  it.  One  landed  and  came  to 
meet  them. 

"  Where  is  Van  de  Berg  ? "  Captain  Heraugidre  asked 
as  he  came  up. 

"  He  is  ill  and  unable  to  come,  but  has  sent  you  this 
letter.  My  brother  and  myself  have  undertaken  the  busi 
ness." 

The  letter  merely  said  that  the  writer  was  too  ill  to 
come,  but  had  sent  in  his  place  his  two  nephews,  one  or 
other  of  whom  always  accompanied  him,  and  who  could 
be  trusted  thoroughly  to  carry  out  the  plan.  The  party 
at  once  went  on- board  the  vessel,  descended  into  the  little 
cabin  aft,  and  then  passed  through  a  hole  made  by  the  re 
moval  of  two  planks  into  the  hold  that  had  been  prepared 
for  them.  Heraugiere  remained  on  deck,  and  from  time 
to  time  descended  to  inform  those  below  of  the  progress 
being  made.  It  was  slow  indeed,  for  a  strong  wind  laden 
with  sleet  blew  directly  down  the  river.  Huge  blocks  of 
ice  floated  down,  and  the  two  boatmen  with  their  poles  had 
the  greatest  difficulty  in  keeping  the  boat's  head  up  the 
stream. 

At  last  the  wind  so  increased  that  navigation  became 
impossible,  and  the  barge  was  made  fast  against  the  bank. 
From  Monday  night  until  Thursday  morning  the  gale  .con 
tinued.  Progress  was  impossible,  and  the  party  cramped 
up  in  the  hold  suffered  greatly  from  hunger  and  thirst. 
On  Thursday  evening  they  could  sustain  it  no  longer  and 


238  B  T  ENGLAND ' S  AID. 

landed.  They  were  for  a  time  scarce  able  to  wu^,  cc 
cramped  were  their  limbs  by  their  long  confinement,  and 
made  their  way  up  painfully  to  a  fortified  building  called 
Nordand,  standing  far  from  any  other  habitations.  Here 
they  obtained  food  and  drink,  and  remained  until  at  eleven 
at  night  one  of  the  boatmen  came  to  them  with  news  that 
the  wind  had  changed,  and  was  now  blowing  in  from  the 
sea.  They  again  took  their  places  on  board,  but  the  water 
was  low  in  the  river,  and  it  was  difficult  work  passing  the 
shallows,  and  it  was  not  until  Saturday  afternoon  that  they 
passed  the  boom  below  the  town  and  entered  the  inner 
harbor. 

An  officer  of  the  guard  came  off  in  a  boat  and  boarded 
the  barge.  The  weather  was  so  bitterly  cold  that  he  at 
once  went  into  the  little  cabin  and  there  chatted  with  the 
two  boatmen.  Those  in  the  hold  could  hear  every  word 
that  was  said,  and  they  almost  held  their  breath,  for  the 
slightest  noise  would  betray  them.  After  a  while  the 
officer  got  into  his  boat  again,  saying  he  would  send  some 
men  off  to  warp  the  vessel  into  the  castle  dock,  as  the  fuel 
was  required  by  the  garrison  there.  As  the  barge  was 
making  its  way  towards  the  water-gace,  it  struck  upon  a 
hidden  obstruction  in  the  river  and  began  to  leak  rapidly. 
The  situation  of  those  in  the  hold  was  now  terrible,  for  in 
a  few  minutes  the  water  rose  to  their  knees,  and  the  choice 
seemed  to  be  presented  to  them  of  being  drowned  like  rats 
there,  or  leaping  overboard,  in  which  case  they  would  be 
captured  and  hung  without  mercy.  The  boatmen  plied 
the  pumps  vigorously,  and  in  a  short  time  a  party  of  Italian 
soldiers  arrived  from  the  shore  and  towed  the  vessel  into 
the  inner  harbor,  and  made  her  fast  close  to  the  guard 
house  ot  the  castle.  A  party  of  laborers  at  once  came  on 
board  and  began  to  unload  the  turf ;  the  need  of  fuel  both 
in  the  town  and  castle  being  great,  for  the  weather  had 
been  for  some  time  bitterly  cold. 

A  fresh  danger  now  arose.     The  sudden  immersion  in 


BY  ENGLAND ' 8  AID.  239 

the  icy  water  in  the  close  cabin  brought  on  a  sudden  in 
clination  to  sneeze  and  cough.  Lieutenant  Held,  finding 
himself  unable  to  repress  his  cough,  handed  his  dagger  to 
Lionel  Vickars,  who  happened  to  be  sitting  next  to  him, 
and  implored  him  to  stab  him  to  the  heart  lest  his  cough 
might  betray  the  whole  party ;  but  one  of  the  boatmen 
who  was  standing  close  to  the  cabin  heard  the  sounds,  and 
bude  his  companion  go  on  pumping  with  as  much  noise 
and  clatter  as  possible,  while  he  himself  did  the  same, 
telling  those  standing  011  the  wharf  alongside  that  the 
boat  was  almost  full  of  water.  The  boatmen  behaved  with 
admirable  calmness  and  coolness,  exchanging  jokes  with 
acquaintances  on  the  quay,  keeping  up  a  lively  talk,  ask 
ing  high  prices  for  their  peat,  and  engaging  in  long  and 
animated  bargains  so  as  to  prevent  the  turf  from  being 
taken  too  rapidly  ashore. 

At  last,  when  but  a  few  layers  of  turf  remained  over  the 
roof  of  the  hold,  the  elder  brother  told  the  men  unload 
ing  that  it  was  getting  too  dark,  and  he  himself  was  too 
tired  and  worn  out  to  attend  to  tilings  any  longer.  He 
therefore  gave  the  men  some  money  and  told  them  to  go 
to  the  nearest  public-house  to  drink  his  health,  and  to  re 
turn  the  first  thing  in  the  morning  to  finish  unloading. 
The  younger  of  the  two  brothers  had  already  left  the  boat. 
He  made  his  way  through  the  town,  and  started  at  full 
speed  to  carry  the  news  to  Prince  Maurice  that  the  barge 
had  arrived  safely  in  the  town,  and  the  attempt  would  be 
made  at  midnight  ;  also  of  the  fact  they  had  learned  from 
those  on  the  wharf,  that  the  governor  had  heard  a  rumor 
that  a  force  had  landed  somewhere  on  the  coast,  and  had 
gone  off  again  to  Gertruydenberg  in  all  haste,  believing 
that  some  design  was  on  foot  against  that  town.  His  son 
Paolo  was  again  in  command  of  the  garrison. 

A  little  before  midnight  Captain  Heraugiere  told  his 
comrades  that  the  hour  had  arrived,  and  that  only  by  the 
most  desperate  bravery  could  they  hope  to  succeed,  while 


240  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

death  was  the  certain  consequence  of  failure.  The  banu 
were  divided  into  two  companies.  He  himself  with  one 
was  to  attack  the  main  guard-house  ;  the  other,  under 
Ferret,  was  to  seize  the  arsenal  of  the  fortress.  Noise 
lessly  they  stole  out  from  their  hiding-place,  and  formed 
upon  the  wharf  within  the  inclosure  of  the  castle.  Her- 
augiere  moved  straight  upon  the  guard-house.  The  sentry 
was  secured  instantly  ;  but  the  slight  noise  was  heard,  and 
the  captain  of  the  watch  ran  out  but  was  instantly  cut 
down. 

Others  came  out  with  torches,  but  after  a  brief  fight 
were  driven  into  the  guard-house ;  when  all  were  shot 
down  through  the  doors  and  windows.  Captain  Fervet 
and  his  band  had  done  equally  well.  The  magazine  of  the 
castle  was  seized,  and  its  defenders  slain.  Paolo  Lauza- 
vecchia  made  a  sally  from  the  palace  with  a  few  of  his  ad 
herents,  but  was  wounded  and  driven  back  ;  and  the  rest 
of  the  garrison  of  the  castle,  ignorant  of  the  strength  of 
the  force  that  had  thus  risen  as  it  were  from  the  earth  upon 
them,  fled  panic-stricken,  not  even  pausing  to  destroy  the 
bridge  between  the  castle  and  the  town. 

Young  Paolo  Lanzavecchia  now  began  a  parley  with  the 
assailants ;  but  while  the  negotiations  were  going  on 
Hoheulohe  with  hia  cavalry  came  up — having  been  ap 
prised  by  the  boatman  that  the  attempt  was  about  to  be 
made — battered  down  the  palisade  near  the  water-gate 
and  entered  the  castle.  A  short  time  afterwards  Prince 
Maurice,  Sir  Francis  Vere,  and  other  officers  arrived  with 
the  main  body  of  the  troops.  But  the  fight  was  over  be 
fore  even  Hohenlohe  arrived  ;  forty  of  the  garrison  being 
killed,  and  not  a  single  man  of  the  seventy  assailants. 
The  burgomaster,  finding  that  the  castle  had  fallen,  and 
that  a  strong  force  had  arrived,  then  sent  a  trumpeter  to 
the  castle  to  arrange  for  the  capitulation  of  the  town, 
•which  was  settled  on  the  following  terms  : — All  plunder 
ing  was  commuted  for  the  payment  of  two  months'  pay  to 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  *+\ 

every  soldier  engaged  in  the  affair.  All  who  chose  might 
leave  the  city,  with  full  protection  to  life  and  property. 
Those  who  were  willing  to  remain  were  not  to  be  molested 
in  their  conscience  or  households  with  regard  to  re 
ligion. 

The  news  of  the  capture  of  Breda  was  received  with  im 
mense  enthusiasm  throughout  Holland.  It  was  the  first 
offensive  operation  that  had  been  successfully  undertaken, 
and  gave  new  hopes  to  the  patriots. 

Parma  was  furious  at  the  cowardice  with  which  five 
companies  of  foot  and  one  of  horse — all  picked  troops — 
had  fled  before  the  attack  of  seventy  Hollanders.  Three 
captains  were  publicly  beheaded  in  Brussels  and  a  fourth 
degraded  to  the  ranks,  while  Lanzavecchia  was  deprived 
of  the  command  of  Gertruydenberg. 

For  some  months  before  the  assault  upon  Breda  the 
army  of  Holland  had  been  gaining  vastly  in  strength  and 
organization.  Prince  Maurice,  aided  by  his  cousin  Lewis 
William,  stadholder  of  Friesland,  had  been  hard  at  work 
getting  it  into  a  state  of  efficiency.  Lewis  William,  a  man 
of  great  energy  and  military  talent,  saw  that  the  use  of 
solid  masses  of  men  in  the  field  was  no  longer  fitted  to  a 
state  of  things  when  the  improvements  in  firearms  of  all 
sorts  had  entirely  changed  the  condition  of  war.  He 
therefore  reverted  to  the  old  Roman  methods,  and  drilled 
his  soldiers  in  small  bodies ;  teaching  them  to  turn  and 
wheel,  advance  or  retreat,  and  perform  all  sorts  of  man 
euvers  with  regularity  and  order.  Prince  Maurice  adopted 
the  same  plan  in  Holland,  and  the  tactics  so  introduced 
proved  so  efficient  that  they  were  sooner  or  later  adopted 
by  all  civilized  nations. 

At  the  time  when  William  of  Orange  tried  to  relieve  the 
hard-pressed  city  of  Haarlem,  he  could  with  the  greatest  diffi 
culty  muster  three  or  four  thousand  men  for  the  purpose. 
The  army  of  the  Netherlands  was  now  22,000  strong,  of 
whom  2,000  were  cavalry.  It  was  well  disciplined,  well 
16 


242  B  r  ENGLAND '  8  AID. 

equipped,  and  regularly  paid,  and  was  soon  to  prove  that  the 
pains  bestowed  upon  it  had  not  been  thrown  away.  In  the 
course  of  the  eighteen  years  that  had  iollowed  the  capture 
of  Brill  and  the  commencement  of  the  struggle  with  Spain, 
the  wealth  and  prosperity  of  Holland  had  enormously  in 
creased.  The  Dutch  were  masters  of  the  sea-coast,  the 
ships  of  the  Zeelanders  closed  every  avenue  to  the  interior, 
and  while  the  commerce  of  Antwerp,  Ghent,  Bruges,  and 
the  other  cities  of  the  provinces  that  remained  in  the 
hands  of  the  Spaniards  was  for  the  time  destroyed,  and 
their  population  fell  off  by  a  half,  Holland  benefited  in 
proportion. 

From  all  the  Spanish  provinces  men  of  energy  and 
wealth  passed  over  in  immense  numbers  to  Holland,  where 
they  could  pursue  their  commerce  and  industries — free 
from  the  exactions  and  cruelty  under  which  they  had  for 
so  many  years  groaned.  The  result  was  that  the  cities  of 
Holland  increased  vastly  in  wealth  and  population,  and 
the  resources  at  the  disposal  of  Prince  Maurice  enormously 
exceeded  those  with  which  his  father  had  for  so  many 
years  sustained  the  struggle. 

For  a  while  after  the  capture  of  Breda  there  was  breath 
ing  time  in  Holland,  and  Maurice  was  busy  in  increasing 
and  improving  his  army.  Parma  was  fettered  by  the  im 
perious  commands  of  Philip,  who  had  completely  crippled 
him  by  withdrawing  a  considerable  number  of  his  troops 
for  service  in  the  war  which  he  was  waging  with  France. 
But  above  all,  the  destruction  of  the  Armada,  and  with 
it  of  the  naval  supremacy  of  Spain,  had  changed  the 
situation. 

Holland  was  free  to  carry  on  her  enterprises  by  sea,  and 
had  free  communication  and  commerce  with  her  English 
ally,  while  communication  between  Spain  and  the  Nether 
lands  was  difficult.  Reinforcements  could  no  longer  be 
sent  by  sea,  and  had  to  be  sent  across  Europe  from  Italy. 
Parma  was  worn  out  by  exertions,  disappointment,  and 


BY  ENGLAND  8  AID.  248 

annoyance,  <:nd  his  health  was  seriously  failing ;  while  op- 
posed  to  him  were  three  young  commanders — Maurice, 
LeAvis  William,  and  Francis  Vere — all  men  of  military 
genius  and  full  of.  confidence  and  energy. 


244  BY  EJH GLAND' a  AID. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

A   SLAVE  Itf    BABBABT. 

THE  Tarifa  had  left  port  but  a  few  hours  when  a  strong 
wind  rose  from  the  north,  and  rapidly  increased  in  violence 
until  it  was  blowing  a  gale. 

"  Inez  is  terribly  ill,"  Gerald  said  when  he  met  Geoffrey 
on  deck  the  following  morning.  "  I  believe  at  the  present 
moment  she  would  face  her  father  and  risk  everything  if 
she  could  but  be  put  on  shore." 

"I  can  well  imagine  that.  However,  she  will  think 
otherwise  to-morrow  or  next  day.  I  believe  these  Mediter 
ranean  storms  do  not  last  long.  There  is  no  fear  of  six 
weeks  of  bad  weather  such  as  we  had  when  we  were  last 
afloat  together." 

"  No.  I  have  just  been  speaking  to  the  captain.  He 
says  they  generally  blow  themselves  out  in  two  or  three 
days  ;  but  still,  even  that  is  not  a  pleasant  look-out.  These 
vessels  are  not  like  your  English  craft,  which  seem  to  be 
able  to  sail  almost  in  the  eye  of  the  wind.  They  are  lub 
berly  craft,  and  badly  handled ;  and  if  this  gale  lasts  for 
three  days  we  shall  be  down  on  the  Barbary  coast,  and  I 
would  rather  risk  another  journey  through  Spain  than  get 
down  so  near  the  country  of  the  Moors." 

"  I  can  understand  that,"  Geoffrey  agreed.  "  However, 
I  see  there  are  some  thirty  soldiers  forward  on  their  way 
to  join  one  of  the  regiments  in  Naples,  so  we  ought  to  be 
able  to  beat  off  any  corsair  that  might  come  near  us." 

"  Yes ;  but  if  we  got  down  on  their  coast  we  might  be 
attacked  by  half  a  dozen  of  them,"  Gerald  said.  "  How- 


B  Y  ENGLAND '  8  AID.  245 

ever,  one  need  not  begin  to  worry  one's  self  at  present ; 
£he  gale  may  abate  within  a  few  hours." 

At  the  end  of  the  second  day  the  wind  went  down  sud 
denly  ;  and  through  the  night  the  vessel  rolled  heavily,  for 
the  sea  was  still  high,  and  there  was  not  a  breath  of  wind 
to  fill  her  sails  and  steady  her.  By  the  morning  the  sea 
had  gone  down,  but  there  was  still  an  absence  of  wind. 

"  We  have  had  a  horrible  night,"  Gerald  remarked,  "  but 
we  may  think  ourselves  fortunate  indeed,"  and  he  pointed 
to  the  south,  where  the  land  was  plainly  visible  at  a  dis 
tance  of  nine  or  ten  miles.  "  If  the  gale  had  continued 
to  blow  until  now  we  should  have  been  on  shore  long  be 
fore  this." 

"We  are  LOO  near  to  be  pleasant,"  Geoffrey  said,  "  for 
they  can  see  us  as  plainly  as  we  can  see  the  land.  It  is  to 
be  hoped  that  a  breeze  may  spring  up  from  the  south  be 
fore  long  and  enable  us  to  creep  off  the  laud.  Unless  I 
am  greatly  mistaken  I  can  see  the  masts  of  some  craft  or 
other  in  a  line  with  those  white  houses  over  there." 

"I  don't  see  them,"  Gerald  replied,  gazing  intently  in 
the  direction  in  which  Geoffrey  pointed. 

"  Let  us  go  up  to  the  top,  Gerald  ;  we  shall  see  her  hull 
from  there  plainly  enough." 

On  reaching  the  top  Gerald  s?<v  at  once  that  his  friend's 
eyes  had  not  deceived  him. 

"  Yes,  there  is  a  vessel  there  sure  enough,  Geoffrey.  I 
cannot  see  whether  she  has  one  or  two  masts,  for  her  head 
is  in  this  direction." 

"  This  is  not  the  worst  of  it,"  Geoffrey  said,  shading  his 
eyes  and  gazing  intently  on  the  distant  object.  "  She  is 
rowing  ;  I  can  see  the  light  flash  on  her  oars  every  stroke. 
That  is  a  Moorish  galley,  and  she  is  coming  out  towards 
us." 

"I  believe  you  are  right,"  Gerald  replied  after  gazing 
earnestly  for  some  time.  "  Yes,  I  saw  the  flash  of  the 
oars  then  distinctly." 


246  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

They  at  once  descended  to  the  deck  and  informed  tha 
captain  of  what  they  had  seeu.  He  hastily  mounted  to 
the  top. 

"  There  is  no  mistake  about  it,"  he  said  after  looking 
intently  for  a  short  time ;  "it  is  one  of  the  Barbary  cor 
sairs,  and  she  is  making  out  towards  us.  The  holy  saints 
preserve  us  from  these  bloodthirsty  infidels." 

"  The  saints  will  do  their  work  if  we  do  ours,"  Gerald 
remarked  ;  "  and  we  had  best  do  as  large  a  share  as  possible. 
"What  is  the  number  of  your  crew,  captain  ?  " 

"Nineteen  men  altogether." 

"  And  there  are  thirt}'  soldiers,  and  six  male  passengers 
in  the  cabin,"  Gerald  said  ;  "  so  we  muster  fifty-four. 
That  ought  to  be  enough  to  beat  off  the  corsair." 

On  returning  to  the  deck  the  captain  informed  the  officer 
in  charge  of  the  troops  on  board  that  a  Moorish  pirate  was 
putting  off  towards  them,  and  that  unless  the  wind  came 
to  their  aid  there  was  no  chance  of  escaping  a  conflict  with 
her. 

"  Then  we  must  fight  her,  captain,"  the  officer,  who  was 
still  a  youth,  said  cheerfully.  "  I  have  thirty  men,  of  whom 
at  least  half  are  veterans.  You  have  four  cannon  on  board, 
and  there  are  the  crew  and  passengers." 

"  Fifty-four  in  all,"  Gerald  said.  "  We  ought  to  be  able 
to  make  a  good  fight  of  it." 

Orders  were  at  once  given,  soldiers  and  crew  were  mus 
tered  and  informed  of  the  approaching  danger. 

"  We  have  got  to  fight,  men,  and  to  fight  hard,''  the 
young  officer  said  ;  "for  if  we  are  beaten  you  know  the 
result — either  our  throats  will  be  cut  or  we  shall  have  to 
row  in  their  galleys  for  the  rest  of  our  lives.  So  there  is 
not  much  choice." 

In  an  hour  the  corsair  was  half-way  between  the  coast 
and  the  vessel.  By  this  time  every  preparation  had  been 
made  for  her  reception.  Arms  had  been  distributed  among 
the  crew  and  such  of  the  passengers  as  were  not  already 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  247 

provided,  the  guns  had  been  cast  loose  and  ammunition 
brought  up,  caldrons  of  pitch  were  ranged  along  the  bul 
warks  and  fires  lighted  on  slabs  of  stone  placed  beneath 
them.  The  coppers  in  the  galley  were  already  boiling. 

"  Now,  captain,"  the  young  officer  said,  "  do  you  and 
your  sailors  work  the  guns  and  ladle  out  the  pitch  and 
boiling  water,  and  be  in  readiness  to  catch  up  their  pikes 
and  axes  and  aid  in  the  defense  if  the  villains  gain  a  foot 
ing  on  the  deck.  I  and  my  men  and  the  passengers  will  do 
our  best  to  keep  them  from  climbing  up." 

The  vessel  was  provided  with  sweeps,  and  the  captain 
had  in  the  first  place  proposed  to  man  them  ;  but  Gerald 
pointed  out  that  the  corsair  would  row  three  feet  to  their 
one,  and  that  it  was  important  that  all  should  be  fresh 
and  vigorous  when  the  pirates  came  alongside.  The  idea 
had  consequently  been  abandoned,  and  the  vessel  lay 
motionless  in  the  water  while  the  corsair  was  approach 
ing- 

Inez,  who  felt  better  now  that  the  motion  had  subsided, 
came  on  deck  as  the  preparations  were  being  made.  Ger 
ald  told  her  of  the  danger  that  was  approaching.  She 
turned  pale. 

"  This  is  dreadful,  Gerald.  I  would  rather  face  death 
i.  thousand  times  than  be  captured  by  the  Moors." 

"  We  shall  beat  them  off,  dear,  never  fear.  They  will 
not  reckon  upon  the  soldiers  we  have  on  board,  and  will 
expect  an  easy  prize.  I  do  not  suppose  that,  apart  from 
the  galley  slaves,  they  have  more  men  on  board  than  we 
have,  and  fighting  as  we  do  for  liberty,  each  of  us  ought 
to  be  equal  to  a  couple  of  these  Moorish  dogs.  When  the 
conflict  begins  you  must  go  below." 

"  I  shall  not  do  that,"  Inez  said  firmly.  "  We  will  share 
the  same  fate  whatever  it  may  be,  Gerald  ;  and  remember 
that  whatever  happens  I  will  not  live  to  be  carried  captive 
among  them.  I  will  stab  myself  to  the  heart  if  I  see  that 
all  is  lost." 


248  B  Y  ENGLAND '  8  AID. 

"  You  shall  come  on  deck  if  you  will,  Inez,  when  they 
get  close  alongside.  I  do  not  suppose  there  will  be  many 
shots  fired — they  will  be  in  too  great  a  hurry  to  board  ;  but 
as  long  as  they  are  shooting  you  must  keep  below.  After 
that  come  up  if  you  will.  It  would  made  me  a  coward  of 
me  did  I  know  that  a  chance  shot  might  strike  you." 

'*  Very  well,  then,  Gerald,  to  please  you  I  will  go  down 
until  they  come  alongside,  then  come  what  will  I  shall  be 
on  deck/' 

As  the  general  opinion  on  board  was  that  the  corsairs 
would  not  greatly  outnumber  them,  while  they  would  be 
at  a  great  disadvantage  from  the  lowness  of  their  vessel  in 
the  water,  there  was  a  general  feeling  of  confidence,  and 
the  approach  of  the  enemy  was  watched  with  calmness. 
When  half  a  mile  distant  two  puffs  of  smoke  burst  out  from 
the  corsair's  bows.  A  moment  later  a  shot  struck  the 
ship,  and  another  threw  up  the  water  close  to  her  stern. 
The  four  guns  of  the  Tar  if  a  had  been  brought  over  to  the 
side  on  which  the  enemy  was  approaching,  and  these  were 
now  discharged.  One  of  the  shots  carried  away  some  oars  on 
the  starboard  side  of  the  galley,  another  struck  her  in  the 
bow.  There  was  a  slight  confusion  on  board ;  two  or 
three  oars  were  shifted  over  from  the  port  to  the  starboard 
side,  and  she  continued  her  way. 

The  guns  were  loaded  again,  bags  of  bullets  being  this 
time  inserted  instead  of  balls.  The  corsairs  fired  once  more, 
but  their  shots  were  unanswered  ;  and  with  wild  yells  and 
shouts  they  approached  the  motionless  Spanish  vessel. 

"She is  crowded  with  men,"  Gerald  remarked  to  Geof- 
fery.  "  She  has  far  more  on  board  than  we  reckoned  on.'' 

"We  have  not  given  them  a  close  volley  yet,"  Geoffrey 
replied.  "  If  the  guns  are  well  aimed  they  will  make 
matters  equal." 

The  corsair  was  little  more  than  her  own  length  away 
when  the  captain  gave  the  order,  and  the  four  guns  poured 
their  contents  upon  her  crowded  decks.  Tht  effect  was 


GEOFFREY  FALLS  INTO  THE  HANDS  OF  THE  CORSAIRS.— Page  249 
Eng.  Aid.) 


BT  ENGLAND 'S  AW.  241) 

terrible.  The  mass  of  men  gathered  in  her  bow  in  readi 
ness  to  board  as  soon  as  she  touched  the  Tarifa  were  liter 
ally  swept  away.  Another  half  minute  she  was  alongside 
the  Spaniard,  and  the  Moors  with  wild  shouts  of  vengeance 
tried  to  clamber  on  board. 

But  they  had  not  reckoned  upon  meeting  with  more 
than  the  ordinary  crew  of  a  merchant  ship.  The  soldiers 
discharged  their  arquebuses,  and  then  with  pike  and  sword 
opposed  an  impenetrable  barrier  to  the  assailants,  while 
the  sailors  from  behind  ladled  over  the  boiling  pitch  and 
water  through  intervals  purposely  left  in  the  line  of  the 
defenders.  The  conflict  lasted  but  a  few  minutes.  Well- 
nigh  half  the  Moors  had  been  swept  away  by  the  discharge 
of  the  cannon,  and  the  rest,  but  little  superior  in  numbers 
to  *he  Spaniards,  were  not  long  before  they  lost  heart, 
t  e.i  efforts  relaxed,  and  shouts  arose  to  the  galley-slaves 
to  r  w  astern. 

"  Now,  it  is  our  turn  ! "  the  young  officer  cried.  "  Fol 
low  me,  my  men ;  we  will  teach  the  dogs  a  lesson."  As  he 
spo  e  he  sprang  from  the  bulwark  down  upon  the  deck  of 
the  corsair. 

Geoffrey,  who  was  standing  next  to  him,  followed  his 
example,  as  did  five  or  six  soldiers.  They  were  instantly 
engaged  in  a  hand-to-hand  fight  with  the  Moors.  In  the 
din  and  confusion  they  heard  not  the  shouts  of  their  com 
rades.  After  a  minute's  fiarce  fighting,  Geoffrey,  finding 
that  he  and  his  companions  were  being  pressed  back, 
glanced  round  to  see  why  support  did  not  arrive,  and  saw 
that  there  were  already  thirty  feet  of  water  between  the 
two  vessels.  He  was  about  to  spring  overboard,  when  the 
Moors  made  a  desperate  rush,  his  guard  w::s  beaten  down, 
a  blow  from  a  Moorish  scimitar  fell  on  his  head,  and  he 
lost  consciousness. 

It  was  a  long  time  before  he  recovered.  The  first  sound 
he  was  aware  of  was  the  creaking  of  the  oars.  He  ky 
dreamily  listening  to  this,  and  wondering  what  it  meant, 


250  BY  ENGLAND '8  AID. 

until  the  truth  suddenly  flashed  across  him.  He  opened 
his  tyes  and  looked  round.  A  heavy  weight  lay  across  his 
legs,  and  he  saw  the  young  Spanish  officer  lying  dead  there. 
Several  other  Spaniards  lay  close  by,  \yhile  the  deck  was 
strewn  with  the  corpses  of  the  Moors.  He  understood  at 
once  what  had  happened.  The  vessels  had  drifted  apart 
|ust  as  he  sprang  on  board,  cutting  off  those  who  had 
boarded  the  corsair  from  all  assistance  from  their  friends, 
and  as  soon  as  they  had  been  overpowered  the  galley  had 
started  on  her  return  to  the  port  from  which  she  had  come 
oat. 

"At  any  rate,"  he  said  to  himself,  "Gerald  and  Inez 
are  safe  ;  that  is  a  comfort,  whatever  comes  of  it." 

It  was  not  until  the  corsair  dropped  anchor  near  the 
shore  that  the  dispirited  Moors  paid  any  attention  to  those 
by  whom  their  deck  was  cumbered.  Then  the  Spaniards 
were  first  examined.  Four,  who  were  dead,  were  at  once 
tossed  overboard.  Geoffrey  and  two  others  who  showed 
signs  of  life  were  left  for  the  present,  a  bucket  of  water  be 
ing  thrown  over  each  to  revive  them.  The  Moorish 
wounded  and  the  dead  were  then  lowered  into  boats  and 
taken  on  shore  for  care  or  burial.  Then  Geoffrey  and  the 
two  Spaniards  were  ordered  to  rise. 

All  three  were  able  to  do  so  with  some  difficulty,  and 
were  rowed  ashore.  They  were  received  when  they  landed 
by  the  curses  and  execrations  of  the  people  of  the  little 
town,  who  would  have  torn  them  to  pieces  had  not  their 
captors  marched  them  to  the  prison  occupied  by  the  galley- 
slaves  when  on  shore,  and  left  them  there.  Most  of  the 
galley-slaves  were  far  too  exhausted  by  their  long  row,  and 
too  indifferent  to  aught  but  their  own  sufferings,  to  pay  any 
attention  to  the  new-comers.  Two  or  three,  however, 
came  up  to  them  and  offered  to  assist  in  bandaging  their 
wounds.  Their  doublets  had  already  been  taken  by  their 
captors  ;  but  they  now  tore  strips  off  their  shirts,  and  with 
these  staunched  the  bleeding  of  their  wounds. 


U  T  ENGLAND '  S  AID.  251 

"It  was  lucky  for  you  that  five  or  six  of  our  number 
killed  by  that  discharge  of  grape  you  gave  us/'  one 
of  them  said,  "  or  they  would  have  thrown  you  overboard 
at  once.  Although,  after  all,  death  is  almost  preferable 
to  such  a  life  as  ours." 

"  How  long  have  yon  been  here  ?  "  Geoffrey  asked. 

"  I  hardly  know/'  the  other  replied  ;  < '  one  almost  loses 
count  of  time  here.  But  it  is  somewhere  about  ten  years. 
I  am  sturdy,  you  see.  Three  years  at  most  is  the  average 
of  our  life  in  the  galleys,  though  there  are  plenty  die  be 
fore  as  many  months  have  passed.  I  come  of  a  hardy  race. 
I  am  not  a  Spaniard.  I  was  captured  in  an  attack  on  a 
town  in  the  West  Indies,  and  had  three  years  on  board  one 
of  your  galleys  at  Cadiz.  Then  she  was  captured  by  the 
Moors,  and  here  I  have  been  ever  since/' 

'  *  Then  you  must  be  an  Englishman  ! "  Geoffrey  ex 
claimed  in  that  language. 

The  man  stared  at  him  stupidly  for  a  minute,  and  then 
burst  into  tears.  "  I  have  never  thought  to  hear  my  own 
tongue  again,  lad/'  he  said,  holding  out  his  hand.  "  Aye, 
I  am  English,  and  was  one  of  Hawkins'  men.  But  how 
come  you  to  be  in  a  Spanish  ship  ?  I  have  heard  onr 
masters  say,  when  talking  together,  that  there  is  war  now 
between  the  English  and  Spaniards  ;  that  is,  war  at  home. 
There  has  always  been  war  out  on  the  Spanish  Main,  but 
they  know  nothing  of  that." 

"  I  was  made  prisoner  in  a  fight  we  had  with  the  great 
Spanish  Armada  off  Gravelines/'  Geoffrey  said. 

"  We  heard  a  year  ago  from  some  Spaniards  they  cap 
tured  that  a  great  fleet  was  being  prepared  to  conquer  Eng 
land  ;  but  no  news  has  come  to  us  since.  We  are  the  only 
galley  here,  and  as  our  benches  were  full,  the  prisoners1 
they  have  taken  since  were  sent  off  at  once  to  Algiers  OF 
other  ports,  BO  we  have  heard  nothing.  But  I  told  the 
Spaniards  that  if  Drake  and  Hawkins  were  in  England 
when  their  great  fleet  got  there,  they  were  not  likely  to 


252  B  Y  ENGLA  ND '  8  A  ID. 

have  it  all  their  own  way.  Tell  me  all  about  it,  lad.  You 
do  not  know  how  hungry  I  am  for  news  from  home." 

Geoffrey  related  to  the  sailor  the  tale  of  the  overthrow 
and  destruction  of  the  Armada,  which  threw  him  into  an 
ecstasy  of  satisfaction. 

"These  fellows,"  he  said,  pointing  to  the  other  galley- 
slaves,  "  have  for  the  last  year  heen  telling  me  that  I  need 
not  call  myself  an  Englishman  any  more,  for  that  England 
was  only  a  part  of  Spain  now.  I  will  open  their  eyes  a  bit 
in  the  morning.  But  I  won't  ask  you  any  more  questions 
now  ;  it  is  a  shame  to  have  made  you  talk  so  much  after 
such  a  clip  as  you  have  had  on  the  head." 

Geoffrey  turned  round  on  the  sand  that  formed  their 
only  bed,  and  was  soon  asleep,  the  last  sound  he  heard  be 
ing  the  chuckling  'of  his  companion  over  the  discomfiture 
of  the  Armada. 

In  the  morning  the  guard  came  in  with  a  great  dish 
filled  with  a  sort  of  porridge  of  coarsely-ground  grain, 
boiled  with  water.  In  a  corner  of  the  yard  were  a  number 
of  calabashes,  each  composed  of  half  a  gourd.  The  slaves 
each  dipped  one  of  these  into  the  vessel,  and  so  eat  their 
breakfast.  Before  beginning  Geoffrey  went  to  a  trough, 
into  which  a  jet  of  water  was  constantly  falling  from  a 
small  pipe,  bathed  his  head  and  face,  and  took  a  long 
drink. 

"  We  may  be  thankful,"  the  sailor,  who  had  already  told 
him  that  his  name  was  Stephen  Boldero,  said,  "  that  some 
one  in  the  old  times  laid  on  that  water.  If  it  had  not  been 
for  that  I  do  not  know  what  we  should  have  done,  and  a 
drink  of  muddy  stuff  once  or  twice  a  day  is  all  we  should 
have  got.  That  there  pure  water  is  just  the  saving  of  us." 

"  What  are  we  going  to  do  now  ? "  Geoffrey  asked. 
"  Does  the  galley  go  out  every  day  ?  " 

"  Bless  you,  no  ;  sometimes  not  once  a  month  ;  only 
when  a  sail  is  made  out  in  sight,  and  the  wind  is  light 
h  to  give  us  the  chance  of  capturing  her.  Sometimes 


B  T  ENGLAND » 8  ALD.  263 

we  go  out  on  a  cruise  for  a  month  at  a  time  ;  but  that  is 
*iot  often.  At  other  times  we  do  the  work  of  the  town, 
mend  the  roads,  sweep  up  the  filth,  repair  the  quays ;  do 
anything,  in  fact,  that  wante  doing.  The  work,  except  in 
the  galleys,  is  not  above  a  man's  strength.  Some  men  die 
under  it,  because  the  Spaniards  lose  heart  and  turn  sullen, 
and  then  down  comes  the  whip  on  their  backs,  and  they 
break  their  hearts  over  it ;  but  a  man  as  does  his  best,  and 
is  cheerful  and  willing,  gets  on  well  enough  except  in  the 
galleys. 

"  That  is  work  ;  that  is.  There  is  a  chap  walks  up  and 
down  with  a  whip,  and  when  they  are  chasing  he  lets  it 
fall  promiscuous,  and  even  if  you  are  rowing  fit  to  kill 
yourself  you  do  not  escape  it,  but  on  shore  here  if  you  keep 
up  your  spirits  things  ain't  altogether  so  bad.  Now  I  have 
got  you  here  to  talk  to  in  my  own  lingo  I  feel  quite  a  dif 
ferent  man.  For  alt  !i-  -ugh  I  have  been  here  ten  years,  and 
can  jabber  in  Spanish,  1  have  never  got  on  with  these  fel 
lows  ;  as  is  only  natural,  seeing  that  I  am  an  Englishman 
and  know  all  about  their  doings  in  the  Spanish  Main,  and 
hate  them  worse  than  poison.  Well,  our  time  is  up,  so  I 
am  off.  I  do  not  expect  they  will  make  you  work  till  your 
wounds  are  healed  a  bit." 

This  supposition  turned  out  correct,  and  for  the  next 
week  Geoffrey  was  allowed  to  remain  quietly  in  the  yard 
when  the  gang  went  out  to  their  work.  At  the  end  of  that 
time  his  wound  had  closed,  and  being  heartily  sick  of  the 
monotony  of  his  life,  he  voluntarily  fell  in  by  the  side  of 
Boldero  when  the  gang  was  called  to  work.  The  overseer 
was  apparently  pleased  at  this  evidence  of  willingness  on 
the  part  of  the  young  captive,  and  said  something  to  him 
in  his  own  tongue.  This  his  companion  translated  as 
being  an  order  that  he  was  not  to  work  too  hard  for  the 
present. 

"I  am  bound  to  say,  mate,  that  these  Moors  are,  as  a 
rule,  much  better  masters  than  the  Spaniards.  I  have 


254  B  ¥  ENGLAND '  S  AID. 

tried  them  both,  and  I  would  rather  be  in  a  Moorish  galley 
than  a  Spanish  one  by  a  long  way,  except  just  when  they 
are  chasing  a  ship,  and  are  half  wild  with  excitement. 
These  Moors  are  not  half  bad  fellows,  while  it  don't  seem 
to  me  that  a  Spaniard  has  got  a  heart  in  him.  Then  again, 
I  do  not  think  they  are  quite  so  hard  on  Englishmen  as 
they  are  on  Spaniards  ;  for  they  hate  the  Spaniards  because 
they  drove  them  out  of  their  country.  Once  or  twice  1 
hare  had  a  talk  with  the  overseer  when  he  has  been  in  a 
special  good  humor,  and  he  knows  we  hate  the  Spaniards 
«s  much  as  they  do,  and  that  though  they  call  us  all 
Christian  dogs,  our  Christianity  ain't  a  bit  like  that  of  the 
Spaniards.  I  shall  let  him  know  the  first  chance  I  have 
that  you  are  English  too,  and  I  shall  ask  him  to  let  you 
always  work  by  the  side  of  me." 

As  Stephen  Boldero  had  foretold,  Geoffrey  did  not  find 
lib  work  on  shore  oppressively  hard.  He  did  his  best,  and 
as  he  and  his  companion  always  performed  a  far  larger 
share  of  work  than  that  done  by  any  two  of  the  Spaniards, 
they  gained  the  good  will  of  their  overlooker,  who,  when  a 
fortnight  later  the  principal  bey  of  the  place  sent  down  a 
request  for  two  slaves  to  do  some  rough  work  in  his  garden, 
selected  them  for  the  work. 

"Now  we  will  just  buckle  to,  lad,"  Stephen  Boldero 
said.  "This  bey  is  the  captain  of  the  corsair,  and  he  can 
make  things  a  deal  easier  for  us  if  he  chooses  ;  so  we  will 
not  spare  ourselves.  He  had  one  of  the  men  up  there  two 
years  ago,  and  kept  him  for  some  months,  and  the  fellow 
found  it  so  hard  when  he  came  back  here  again  that  he 
pined  and  died  off  in  no  time." 

A  guard  took  them  to  the  bey's  house,  which  stood  on 
high  ground  behind  the  town.  The  bey  came  out  to 
examine  the  men  chosen  for  his  work. 

"  I  hear,"  he  said,  "  that  you  are  both  English,  and  hate 
the  Spaniards  as  much  as  we  do.  Well,  if  I  find  you  work 
—"'I,  yon  will  be  well  treated  ;  if  not,  you  will  to  sent  back 


B Y  ENGLAND 'S  AID.  255 

at  once.  Now,  come  with  me,  and  I  shall  show  you  what 
you  have  to  do." 

The  high  wall  at  the  back  of  the  garden  had  been  pulled 
down,  and  the  bey  intended  to  enlarge  the  inclosure  con 
siderably. 

"You  are  first,"  he  said,  "  to  dig  a  foundation  for  the 
new  wall  along  that  line  marked  out  by  stakes.  When 
that  is  done  you  will  supply  the  masons  with  stone  and 
mortar.  When  the  wall  is  finished  the  new  ground  will 
all  have  to  be  dug  deeply  and  planted  with  shrubs,  under 
the  superintendence  of  my  gardener.  While  you  are  work 
ing  here  you  will  not  return  to  the  prison,  but  *vill  sleep 
in  that  out-house  in  the  garden." 

"  You  shall  have  no  reason  to  complain  of  ou\  work," 
Boldero  said.  "  We  Englishmen  are  no  sluggards,  and  we 
do  not  want  a  man  always  looking  after  us  as  those  lazy 
Spaniards  do. " 

As  soon  as  they  were  supplied  with  tools  Geoffrey  and 
his  companion  set  to  work.  The  trench  for  the  founda 
tions  had  to  be  dug  three  feet  deep  ;  and  though  the  sun 
blazed  fiercely  down  upon  them,  they  worked  unflinch 
ingly.  From  time  to  time  the  bey's  head  servant  came 
down  to  examine  their  progress,  and  occasionally  watched 
them  from  among  the  trees.  At  noon  he  bade  them  lay 
aside  their  tools  and  come  into  the  shed,  and  a  slave  boy 
brought  them  out  a  large  dish  of  vegetables,  with  small 
pieces  of  meat  in  it. 

"  This  is  something  like  food,"  Stephen  said  as  he  sat 
down  to  it.  '*  It  is  ten  years  since  such  a  mess  as  this  has 
passed  my  lips.  I  do  not  wonder  that  chap  fell  ill  when 
he  got  back  to  prison  if  this  is  he  sort  of  way  they  fed  him 
here." 

That  evening  the  Moorish  overseer  reported  to  the  bey 
that  the  two  slaves  had  done  in  the  course  of  the  day  as 
much  work  as  six  of  the  best  native  laborers  could  have 
performed,  and  that  without  his  standing  over  them  or 


t>56  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

paying  them  any  attention  whatever.     Moved  by  the  re 
port,  the  bey  himself  went  down  to  the  end  of  the  garden. 

"  It  is  wonderful/'  he  said,  stroking  his  beard.  "  Truly 
these  Englishmen  are  men  of  sinews.  Never  have  I  seen 
so  much  work  done  by  two  men  in  a  day.  Take  care  of 
them,  Mahmoud,  and  see  that  they  are  well  fed  ;  the  will 
ing  servant  should  be  well  cared  for/* 

The  work  went  steadily  on  until  the  wall  was  raised,  the 
ground  dug,  and  the  shrubs  planted.  It  was  some  months 
before  all  this  was  done,  and  the  two  slaves  continued  to 
attract  the  observation  and  good-will  of  the  bey  by  their 
steady  and  cheerful  labor.  Their  work  began  soon  after 
sunrise,  and  continued  until  noon.  Then  they  had  three 
hours  to  themselves  to  eat  their  midday  meal  and  dose  in 
the  shed,  and  then  worked  again  until  sunset.  The  bey 
often  strolled  down  to  the  edge  of  the  trees  to  watch  them, 
and  sometimes  even  took  guests  to  admire  the  way  in  which 
these  two  Englishmen,  although  ignorant  that  any  eyes 
were  upon  them,  performed  their  work. 

His  satisfaction  was  evinced  by  the  abundance  of  food 
supplied  them,  their  meal  being  frequently  supplemented 
by  fruit  and  other  little  luxuries.  Severely  as  they  labored, 
Geoffrey  and  his  companion  were  comparatively  happy. 
Short  as  was  the  time  that  the  former  had  worked  with  the 
gang,  he  appreciated  the  liberty  he  now  enjoyed,  and  espe 
cially  congratulated  himself  upon  being  spared  the  pain 
ful  life  of  a  galley-slave  at  sea.  As  to  Boldero,  the 
change  from  the  prison  with  the  companions  he  hated,  its 
degrading  work,  and  coarse  and  scanty  food,  made  a  new 
man  of  him. 

He  had  been  but  two-and-twenty  when  captured  by  the 
Spaniards,  and  was  now  in  the  prime  of  life  and  strength. 
The  work,  which  had  seemed  very  hard  to  Geoffrey  at  first, 
was  to  him  but  as  play,  while  the  companionship  of  his 
countryman,  his  freedom  from  constant  surveillance,  the 
absence  of  all  care,  and  the  abundance  and  excellence  «f 


BY  ENGLAND1  S  AID.  257 

hL  food,  filled  him  with  new  life  ;  and  the  ladies  of  the 
Jbey's  household  often  sat  and  listened  to  the  strange  songs 
that  rose  from  the  slaves  toiling  in  the  garden. 

As  the  work  approached  its  conclusion  Geoffrey  and  his 
companion  had  many  a  talk  over  what  would  next  befall 
them.  There  was  one  reason  only  that  weighed  in  favor 
of  the  life  with  the  slave-gang.  In  their  present  position 
there  was  no  possibility  whatever,  so  far  as  they  could  dis 
cern,  of  effecting  their  escape  ;  whereas,  as  slaves,  should 
the  galley  in  which  they  i'owed  be  overpowered  by  any  ship 
it  attacked,  they  would  obtain  their  freedom.  The  chance 
cl  this,  however,  was  remote,  as  the  fust-rowiug  galleys 
could  almost  always  make  their  escape  should  the  vessel 
they  attacked  prove  too  strong  to  be  captured. 

When  the  last  bed  had  been  leveled  and  the  last  shrub 
planted  the  superintendent  told  them  to  follow  him  into 
the  house,  as  the  bey  was  desirous  of  speaking  with  them. 
They  found  him  seated  on  a  divan. 

"  Christians,''  he  said,  "  I  have  watched  you  while  you 
have  been  at  work,  and  truly  you  have  not  spared  your 
selves  in  my  service,  but  have  labored  for  me  with  all  your 
strength,  well  and  willingly.  I  see  now  that  it  is  true 
that  the  people  of  your  nation  differ  much  from  the  Span 
iards,  who  are  dogs. 

"  I  see  that  trust  is  to  be  placed  in  you,  and  were  you  but 
true  believers  I  would  appoint  you  to  a  position  where  you 
could  win  credit  and  honor.  As  it  is,  I  cannot  place  you 
over  believers  in  the  prophet ;  but  neither  am  I  willing 
Lhat  you  should  return  to  the  gang  from  which  I  took 
you.  I  will,  therefore,  leave  you  free  to  work  for  your 
selves.  There  are  many  of  my  friends  who  have  seen  you 
laboring,  and  will  give  you  employment.  It  will  be  known 
in  the  place  that  you  are  under  my  protection,  and  thai 
any  who  insult  or  ill-treat  you  will  be  severely  punished. 
Should  you  have  any  complaint  to  make,  come  freely  tome 
and  I  will  see  that  justice  is  done  you. 

19 


258  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

"  This  evening  a  crier  will  go  through  the  place  pro 
claiming  that  the  two  English  galley-slaves  have  been  given 
their  freedom  by  me,  and  will  henceforth  live  in  the  town 
without  molestation  from  anyone,  carrying  on  their  work 
and  selling  their  labor  like  true  believers.  The  crier  will 
inform  the  people  that  the  nation  to  which  you  belong  is 
at  war  with  our  enemies  the  Spaniards,  and  that,  save  as 
to  the  matter  of  your  religion,  you  are  worthy  of  being  re 
garded  as  friends  by  all  good  Moslems.  My  superintend 
ent  will  go  down  with  you  in  the  morning.  I  have  ordered 
him  to  hire  a  little  house  for  you  and  furnish  it  with  what 
is  needful,  to  recommend  you  to  your  neighbors,  and  to 
give  you  a  purse  of  piastres  with  which  to  maintain  your 
selves  until  work  comes  to  you." 

Stephen  Boldero  expressed  the  warmest  gratitude,  on 
the  part  of  his  companion  and  himself,  to  the  bey  for  his 
kindness. 

"I  have  done  but  simple  justice/'  the  bey  said,  "  and 
no  thanks  are  necessary.  Faithful  work  should  have  its 
reward,  and  as  you  have  done  to  me  so  I  do  to  you." 

The  next  morning  as  they  were  leaving,  a  female  slave 
presented  them  with  a  purse  of  silver,  the  gift  of  the  bey's 
wife  and  daughters,  who  had  often  derived  much  pleasure 
from  the  songs  of  the  two  captives.  The  superintendent 
conducted  them  to  a  small  hut  facing  the  sea.  It  was  fur 
nished  with  the  few  articles  that  were,  according  to  native 
ideas,  necessary  for  comfort.  There  were  cushions  on  the 
divan  of  baked  clay  raised  about  a  foot  above  the  floor, 
which  served  as  a  sofa  during  the  day  and  as  a  bed  at  night. 
There  was  a  small  piece  of  carpet  on  the  floor  and  a  few 
cooking  utensils  on  a  shelf,  and  some  dishes  of  burnt  clay  ; 
and  nothing  more  was  required.  '  There  was,  however,  a 
small  chest,  in  which,  after  the  superintendent  had  left, 
they  found  two  sets  of  garments  as  worn  by  the  natives. 

"  This  is  a  comfort  indeed,"  Geoffrey  said.  "  Mj 
clothes  are  all  in  rags,  and  as  for  yours  the  lees  we  say  about 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AW.  259 

them  the  better.     I  shall  feel  like  a  new  man   in  these 
things." 

"I  shall  be  glad  myself/'  Stephen  agreed,  "for  the 
clothes  they  give  the  galley-slaves  are  scarce  decent  for  a 
Christian  man  to  wear.  My  consolation  has  been  that  if 
they  had  been  shocked  by  our  appearance  they  would  have 
given  us  more  clothes  ;  but  as  they  did  not  mind  it  there 
was  no  reason  why  I  should.  Still  it  would  be  a  comfort 
to  be  cleanly  and  decent  again." 

For  the  first  few  days  the  natives  of  the  place  looked 
askance  at  these  Christians  in  their  midst,  but  the  bey's 
orders  had  been  peremptory  that  no  insults  should  be 
offered  to  them.  Two  days  after  their  liberation  one  of 
the  principal  men  of  the  place  sent  for  them  and  employed 
them  in  digging  the  foundations  for  a  fountain,  and  a  deep 
trench  of  some  hundred  yards  in  length  for  the  pipe  for 
bringing  water  to  it.  After  that  they  had  many  similar 
jobs,  receiving  always  the  wages  paid  to  regular  workmen, 
and  giving  great  satisfaction  by  their  steady  toil.  Some 
times  when  not  otherwise  engaged  they  went  out  in  boats 
with  fishermen,  receiving  a  portion  of  the  catch  in  pay 
ment  of  their  labors. 

So  sone  months  passed  away.  Very  frequently  they 
talked  over  methods  of  escape.  The  only  plan  that  seemed 
at  all  possible  was  to  take  a  boat  and  make  out  to  sea  ;  but 
they  knew  that  they  would  be  pursued,  and  if  overtaken 
would  revert  to  their  former  life  at  the  galleys,  a  change 
which  would  be  a  terrible  one  indeed  after  the  present  life 
of  freedom  and  independence.  They  knew,  too,  that  they 
might  be  days  before  meeting  with  a  ship,  for  all  traders 
in  the  Mediterranean  hugged  the  northern  shores  as  much 
as  possible  in  order  to  avoid  the  dreaded  corsairs,  and 
there  would  be  a  far  greater  chance  of  their  being  recap 
tured  by  one  of  the  Moorish  cruisers  than  of  lighting  upon 
a  Christian  trader. 

"  It  is  a  question  of  chance,"  Stephen  said,  "  and  when 


260  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

the  chance  comes  we  will  seize  it ;  but  it  is  no  use  our 
giving  up  a  life  against  which  the  it.  is  not  much  to  be 
said,  unless  some  fair  prospect  of  escape  oilers  itself  to 
us." 


Y  ENGLAND'S  AID.  261 


CHAPTER  XVL 

THE  ESCAPE. 

IN  one  respect,"  Geoffrey  said,  as  they  were  talking  over 
their  chance  of  escape,  ' '  I  am  sorry  that  the  bey  has  be 
haved  so  kindly  to  us." 

"  What  is  that  ?"  Stephen  Boldero  asked  in  surprise. 

"  Well,  I  was  thinking  that  were  it  not  for  that  we 
might  manage  to  contrive  some  plan  of  escape  in  concert 
with  the  galley-slaves,  get  them  down  to  the  shore  here, 
row  off  to  the  galley,  overpower  the  three  or  four  men  who 
live  on  board  her,  and  make  off  with  her.  Of  course  we 
should  have  had  to  accumulate  beforehand  a  quantity  of 
food  and  some  barrels  of  water,  for  I  have  noticed  that 
when  they  go  out  they  always  take  their  stores  on  board 
with  them,  and  bring  on  shore  on  their  return  what  has 
not  been  consumed.  Still,  I  suppose  that  could  be  man 
aged.  However,  it  seems  to  me  that  our  hands  are  tied  in 
that  direction  by  the  kindness  of  the  bey.  After  his  con 
duct  to  us  it  would  be  ungrateful  in  the  extreme  for  us  to 
carry  off  his  galley." 

"So  it  would,  Geoffrey.  Besides  I  doubt  wh  ther  the 
plan  would  succeed.  You  may  be  sure  the  Spaniards  are 
as  jealous  as  can  be  of  the  good  fortune  that  we  have  met 
with,  and  were  we  to  propose  such  a  scheme  to  them  the 
chances  are  strongly  in  favor  of  one  of  them  trying  to 
better  his  own  position  by  denouncing  us.  I  would  only 
trust  them  as  far  as  I  can  see  them.  No,  if  we  ever  do 
anything  it  must  be  done  by  urselves.  There  is  no  doubt 
that  if  some  night  when  there  is  »•  strmiij  wind  blowing 


262  B  T  ENGLAND '  S  AID. 

from  the  southeast  we  were  to  get  on  hoard  one  of  these 
fishing-boats,  hoist  a  sail,  and  run  before  it,  we  should  not 
be  far  off  from  the  coast  of  Spain  before  they  started  to 
look  for  us.  But  what  better  should  we  be  there?  We 
can  both  talk  Spanish  well  enough,  but  we  could  not  pass 
as  Spaniards.  Besides,  they  would  find  out  soon  enough 
that  we  were  not  Catholics,  and  where  should  we  be  then  ? 
Either  sent  to  row  in  their  galleys  or  clapped  into  the 
dungeons  of  the  Inquisition,  and  like  enough  burnt  alive 
at  the  stake.  That  would  be  out  of  the  frying-pan  into 
the  fire  with  vengeance/' 

''I  think  we  might  pass  as  Spaniards,"  Geoffrey  said  ; 
"  for  there  is  a  great  deal  of  difference  between  the  dia 
lects  of  the  different  provinces,  and  confined  as  you  have 
been  for  the  last  ten  years  with  Spanish  sailors  you  must 
have  caught  their  way  of  talking.  Still,  I  agree  with  you 
it  will  be  better  to  wait  for  a  bit  longer  for  any  chance  that 
may  occur  rather  than  risk  landing  in  Spain  again,  where 
even  if  we  passed  as  natives  we  should  have  as  hard  work 
to  get  our  living  as  we  have  here,  and  with  no  greater 
chance  of  making  our  way  home  again/' 

During  the  time  that  they  had  been  captives  some  three 
or  four  vessels  had  been  brought  in  by  the  corsair.  The 
men  composing  the  crews  had  been  either  sold  as  slaves  to 
Moors  or  Arabs  in  the  interior  or  sent  to  Algiers,  which 
town  lay  over  a  hundred  miles  to  the  east.  They  were  of 
various  nationalities,  Spanish,  French,  and  Italian,  as  the 
two  friends  learned  from  the  talk  of  the  natives,  for  they 
always  abstained  from  going  near  the  point  where  the 
prisoners  were  landed,  as  they  were  powerless  to  assist  the 
unfortunate  captives  in  any  way,  and  the  sight  of  their 
distress  was  very  painful  to  them. 

One  day,  however,  they  learned  from  the  people  who 
were  running  down  to  the  shore  to  see  the  captives  landed 
from  a  ship  that  had  been  brought  in  by  the  corsair  during 
the  night,  that  there  were  two  or  three  women  among  the 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  263 

captives.  This  was  the  first  time  that  any  females  had 
been  captured  since  their  arrival  at  the  place,  for  women 
seldom  traveled  far  from  their  homes  in  those  days,  ex 
cept  the  wives  of  high  officials  journeying  in  great  ships 
that  were  safe  from  the  attack  of  the  Moorish  corsairs. 

"Let  us  go  down  and  see  them/*  Boldero  said.  "I 
have  not  seen  the  face  of  a  white  woman  for  nine  years." 

"  I  will  go  if  you  like,"  Geoffrey  said.  "  They  will  not 
guess  that  we  are  Europeans,  for  we  are  burnt  as  dark  as 
the  Moors." 

They  went  down  to  the  landing-place.  Eight  men  and 
two  women  were  landed  from  the  boat.  These  were  the 
sole  survivors  of  the  crew. 

"  They  are  Spaniards,"  Boldero  said.  "  I  pity  that  poor 
girl.  I  suppose  the  other  woman  is  her  servant." 

The  girl,  who  was  about  sixteen  years  of  age,  was  very 
pale,  and  had  evidently  been  crying  terribly.  She  did  not 
seem  to  heed  the  cries  and  threats  with  which  the  towns 
people  as  usual  assailed  the  newly-arrived  captives,  but 
kept  her  eyes  fixed  upon  one  of  the  captives  who  walked 
before  her. 

"That  is  her  father,  no  doubt,"  Geoffrey  said.  "  It  is 
probably  her  last  look  at  him.  Come  away,  Stepheii  ;  I 
am  awfully  sorry  we  came  here.  I  shall  not  be  able  to  get 
that  girl's  face  out  of  my  mind  for  I  don't  know  how 
long." 

Without  a  word  they  went  back  to  their  hut.  They  had 
no  particular  work  that  day.  Geoffrey  went  restlessly  in 
and  out,  sometimes  pacing  along  the  strand,  sometimes 
coming  in  and  throwing  himself  on  the  divan.  Stephen 
Boldero  went  on  quietly  mending  a  net  that  had  been 
damaged  the  night  before,  saying  nothing,  but  glancing 
occasionally  with  an  amused  look  at  his  companion's  rest 
less  movement  Late  in  the  afternoon  Geoffrey  burst 
out  suddenly  :  Stephen,  we  must  try  and  rescue  that 
girl  somehow  fruin  her  fate." 


264  -B 1'  ES GLAND '  5  AID. 

"  I  supposed  that  was  what  it  was  coining  to/'  Boldero 
said  quietly.  "  Well,  let  me  hear  all  about  i  .  I  know 
you  have  been  thinking  it  over  ever  since  morning.  What 
are  your  ideas  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  know  that  I  have  any  ideas  beyond  getting 
her  and  her  father  down  to  a  boat  and  making  off." 

"  Well,  you  certainly  have  not  done  much  if  yoi  haven't 
got  farther  than  that,"  Stephen  said  dryly.  "  Now,  if  you 
had  spent  the  day  talking  it  over  with  me  instead  of  wan 
dering  about  like  one  out  of  his  mind,  we  should  have  got 
a  great  deal  further  than  that  by  this  time.  However,  I 
have  been  thinking  for  you.  I  know  what  you  young  fel 
lows  are.  As  soon  as  I  saw  that  girl's  face  and  looked  at 
you  I  was  dead  certain  there  was  an  end  of  peace  and 
quietness,  and  that  you  would  be  bent  upon  some  plan  of 
getting  her  off.  It  did  not  need  five  minutes  to  show  that 
I  was  right ;  and  I  have  been  spending  my  time  thinking, 
while  you  have  thrown  yours  away  in  fidgeting. 

"  Well,  I  think  it  is  worth  trying.  Of  course  it  will  be 
a  vastly  more  difficult  job  getting  the  girl  and  her  father 
away  than  just  taking  a  boat  and  sailing  off  as  we  have 
often  talked  of  doing.  Then,  on  the  other  hand,  it  would 
altogether  alter  our  position  afterwards.  By  his  appear 
ance  and  hers  I  have  no  doubt  he  is  a  well-to-trader,  per 
haps  a  wealthy  one.  He  walked  with  his  head  upright 
when  the  crowd  were  yelling  and  cursing,  and  is  evidently 
a  man  of  courage  and  determination.  Now,  if  we  had 
reached  the  Spanish  coast  by  ourselves  we  should  have 
been  questioned  right  and  left,  and,  as  I  have  said  all 
along,  they  would  soon  have  found  that  we  were  not  Span 
iards,  for  we  could  not  have  said  where  we  came  from,  or 
given  our  past  history,  or  said  where  our  families  lived. 
But  it  would  be  altogether  different  if  we  landed  with 
them.  Every  one  would  be  interested  about  them.  We 
should  only  be  two  poor  devils  of  sailors  who  had  escaped 
with  them,  and  he  would  help  to  pa«R  it  off  and  get  us 


B Y  ENGLAND  S  AID.  265 

employment  ;  so  that  the  difficulty  that  has  hitherto  pre 
vented  us  from  trying  to  escape  is  very  greatly  diminished. 
No\v,  as  to  getting  them  away.  Of  course  she  has  been 
taken  up  to  the  bey's,  and  no  doubt  he  will  send  her  as  a 
present  to  the  bey  of  Algiers.  I  know  that  is  what  has 
been  done  several  times  before  when  young  women  have 
been  captured. 

' '  I  have  been  thinking  it  over,  and  I  do  not  see  a  pos 
sibility  of  getting  to  speak  to  her  as  long  as  she  is  at  the 
bey's.  I  do  not  see  that  it  can  be  done  anyhow.  She  will 
be  indoors  most  of  the  time,  and  if  she  should  go  into  the 
garden  there  would  be  other  women  with  her.  Our  only 
plan,  as  far  as  I  can  see  at  present,  would  be  to  carry  her 
off  from  her  escort  on  the  journey.  I  do  not  suppose  she 
will  have  more  than  two,  or  at  most  three,  mounted  men 
with  her,  and  we  ought  to  be  able  to  dispose  of  them.  As 
to  her  father,  the  matter  is  comparatively  easy.  We  know 
the  ways  of  the  prison,  and  I  have  no  doubt  we  can  get 
him  out  somehow  ;  only  there  is  the  trouble  of  the  ques 
tion  of  time.  She  has  got  to  be  rescued  and  brought  back 
and  hidden  somewhere  till  nightfall,  he  has  got  to  be  set 
free  the  same  evening,  and  we  have  to  embark  early  enough 
to  be  well  out  of  sight  before  daylight ;  and  maybe  there 
will  not  be  a  breath  of  wind  stirring.  It  is  a  tough  job, 
Geoffrey,  look  at  it  which  way  you  will." 

"  It  is  a  tough  job,"  Geoffrey  agreed.  "  I  am  afraid  the 
escort  would  be  stronger  than  you  think.  A  present  of 
this  kind  to  the  bey  is  regarded  as  important,  and  I  should 
say  half  a  dozen  horsemen  at  least  will  be  sent  with  her. 
In  that  case  an  attempt  at  rescue  would  be  hopeless.  We 
have  no  arms,  and  if  we  had  we  could  not  kill  six  mounted 
men  ;  and  if  even  one  escaped,  our  plans  would  be  all  de 
feated.  The  question  is,  would  they  send  her  by  land  ? 
It  seems  to  me  quite  as  likely  that  they  might  seud  her  by 
water." 

'•  Yes,  that  is  likely  enough,  Geoffrey.      In  that  case 


266  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

everything  would  depend  upon  the  vessel  he  sent  her  in. 
If  it  is  the  great  galley  there  is  an  end  of  it ;  if  it  is  one  of 
their  little  coasters  it  might  be  managed.  We  are  sure  to 
learn  that  before  long.  The  bey  might  keep  her  for  a  fort 
night  or  so,  perhaps  longer,  for  her  to  recover  somewhat 
from  her  trouble  and  get  up  her  good  looks  again,  so  as  to 
add  to  the  value  of  the  present.  If  she  were  well  uiid 
bright  she  would  be  pretty  enough  for  anything.  In  the 
meantime  we  can  arrange  our  plans  for  getting  her  father 
away.  Of  course  if  she  goes  with  a  big  escort  on  horse 
back,  or  if  she  goes  in  the  galley,  there  is  an  end  of  our 
plans.  I  am  ready  to  help  you,  Geoffrey,  if  there  is  a 
chance  of  success  ;  but  I  am  not  going  to  throw  away  my 
life  if  there  is  not,  and  unless  she  goes  down  in  a  coaster 
there  is  an  end  of  the  scheme. 

"  I  quite  agree  to  that,"  Geoffrey  replied  ;  "  we  cannot 
accomplish  impossibilities. 

They  learned  upon  the  following  day  that  three  of  the 
newly-arrived  captives  were  to  take  the  places  of  the 
galley-slaves  who  had  been  killed  in  the  capture  of  the 
Spanish  ship,  which  had  defended  itself  stoutly,  and  that 
the  others  were  to  be  sold  for  work  in  the  interior. 

"  It  is  pretty  certain,"  Boldero  said,  "  that  the  trader 
will  not  be  one  of  the  three  chosen  for  the  galley.  The 
work  would  break  him  down  in  a  mouth.  That  makes 
the  part  of  the  business  easier,  for  we  can  get  him  away  on 
the  journey  inland,  and  hide  him  up  here  until  his  daugh 
ter  is  sent  off." 

Geoffrey  looked  round  the  bare  room. 

"Well,  I  do  not  say  as  how  we  could  hide  him  here," 
Boldero  said  in  answer  to  the  look,  "  But  we  might  hide 
him  somewhere  among  the  sand-hills  outside  the  place, 
and  take  him  food  at  night." 

"  Yes,  we  might  do  that,"  Geoffrey  agreed.  "  That 
could  be  managed  easily  enough,  I  should  think,  for  there 
are  clumps  of  bushes  scattered  all  over  the  sand-hills  half 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

a  mile  back  from  the  sea.  The  trouble  will  be  if  we  get 
him  here,  and  find  after  all  that  we  cannot  rescue  hia 
daughter. " 

"  That  will  make  no  difference,"  Boldero  said.  "  In 
that  case  we  will  make  off  with  him  alone.  Everything 
else  will  go  on  just  the  same.  Of  course,  I  should  be  very 
sorry  not  to  save  the  girl ;  but,  as  far  as  we  are  concerned , 
if  we  save  the  father  it  will  answer  our  purpose." 

Geoffrey  made  no  reply.  Just  at  that  moment  his  own 
future  was  a  very  secondary  matter,  in  comparison,  to  the 
rescue  of  this  unhappy  Spanish  girl. 

Geoffrey  and  his  companion  had  been  in  the  habit  of 
going  up  occasionally  to  the  prison.  They  had  won  over 
the  guard  by  small  presents,  and  were  permitted  to  go  in 
and  out  with  fruit  and  other  little  luxuries  tor  the  galley- 
slaves.  They  now  abstained  from  going  near  the  place,  in 
order  that  no  suspicion  might  fall  upon  them  after  hia 
escape  of  having  had  any  communication  with  the  Spanish 
trader. 

Shortly  after  the  arrival  of  the  captives  two  merchants 
from  the  interior  came  down,  and  Geoffrey  learned  that 
they  had  visited  the  prison,  and  had  made  a  bargain  with 
the  bey  for  all  the  captives  except  those  transferred  to  the 
galley.  The  two  companions  had  talked  the  matter  over 
frequently,  and  had  concluded  it  was  best  that  only  one  of 
them  should  be  engaged  in  the  adventure,  for  the  absence 
of  both  might  be  noticed.  After  some  discussion  it  was 
agreed  that  Geoffrey  should  undertake  the  task,  and  that 
Boldero  should  go  alone  to  the  house  where  they  were  now 
at  work,  and  should  mention  that  his  friend  was  unwell, 
and  was  obliged  to  remain  at  home  for  the  day. 

As  they  knew  the  direction  in  which  the  captives  would 
be  taken  Geoffrey  started  before  daybreak,  and  kept 
steadily  along  until  he  reached  a  spot  where  it  was  probable 
they  would  halt  for  the  night.  It  was  twenty  miles  away, 
and  there  was  here  a  will  oi'  water  and  a  grove  of  tree*- 


268  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  he  saw  the  party  approaching.  It 
consisted  of  the  merchants,  two  armed  Arabs,  and  the  five 
captives,  all  of  whom  were  carrying  burdens.  They  were 
crawling  painfully  along,  overpowered  by  the  heat  of  the 
sun,  by  the  length  of  the  journey,  and  by  the  weight  they 
carried.  Several  times  the  Arabs  struck  them  heavily  with 
their  sticks  to  force  them  to  keep  up. 

Geoffrey  retired  from  the  other  side  of  the  clump  of 
trees,  and  lay  down  in  a  depression  of  the  sand-hills  until 
darkness  came  on,  when  he  again  entered  the  grove,  and 
crawling  cautiously  forward  made  his  way  close  up  to  the 
party.  A  fire  was  blazing,  and  a  meal  had  heen  already 
cooked  and  eaten.  The  traders  and  the  two  Arabs  were 
sitting  by  the  fire  ;  the  captives  were  lying  extended  on 
the  ground.  Presently,  at  the  command  of  one  of  the 
Arabs,  they  rose  to  their  feet  and  proceeded  to  collect  some 
more  pieces  of  wood  for  the  fire.  As  they  returned  the 
light  fell  on  the  gray  hair  of  the  man  upon  whom  Geoffrey 
had  noticed  that  the  girl's  eyes  were  fixed. 

He  noted  the  place  where  ho  lay  down,  and  had  nothing 
to  do  now  but  to  wait  until  the  party  were  asleep.  He 
felt  sure  that  no  guard  would  be  set,  for  any  attempt  on 
the  part  of  the  captives  to  escape  would  be  nothing  short 
of  madness.  There  was  nowhere  for  them  to  go,  and  they 
would  simply  wander  about  until  they  died  of  hunger  and 
exhaustion,  or  until  they  were  recaptured,  in  which  case 
they  would  be  almost  beaten  to  death.  In  an  hour's  time 
the  traders  and  their  men  lay  down  by  the  fire,  and  all  was 
quiet.  Geoffrey  crawled  round  until  he  was  close  to  the 
Spaniard.  He  waited  until  he  felt  sure  that  the  Arabs 
were  asleep,  and  then  crawled  up  to  him.  The'man  started 
as  he  touched  him. 

"  Silence,  senor,"  Geoffrey  whispered  in  Spanish  ;  "  I 
am  a  friend,  and  have  come  to  rescue  you." 

"  I  care  not  for  life  ;  a  few  days  of  this  work  wifl  kill 
me,  and  the  sooner  the  better.  I  have  nothing  to  live  for. 


BT  ENGLAND'S  AID.  269 

They  killed  my  wife  the  other  day,  and  nay  daughter  is  a 
captive  in  their  hands.  I  thank  you,  whoever  you  are, 
but  I  will  not  go.'* 

"  We  are  going  to  try  to  save  your  daughter  too,"  Geof 
frey  whispered  ;  "we  have  a  plan  for  carrying  you  both 
off." 

The  words  gave  new  life  to  the  Spaniard. 

"  In  that  case,  sir,  I  am  ready.  Whoever  you  are  whom 
God  has  sent  to  my  aid  I  will  follow  you  blindly,  whatever 
conies  of  it." 

Geoffrey  crawled  away  a  short  distance,  followed  by  the 
Spaniard.  As  soon  as  they  were  well  beyond  the  faint 
light  now  given  out  by  the  expiring  fire  they  rose  to  their 
feet,  and  gaining  the  track,  took  their  way  on  the  back 
ward  road.  As  soon  as  they  were  fairly  away,  Geoffrey 
explained  to  the  Spaniard  who  he  was,  and  how  he  had  un 
dertaken  to  endeavor  to  rescue  him.  The  joy  and  grati 
tude  of  the  Spaniard  were  too  deep  for  words,  and  he 
uttered  his  thanks  in  broken  tones.  When  they  had 
walked  about  a  mile  Geoffrey  halted. 

'•Sit  down  here,"  he  said.  "I  have  some  meat  and 
fruit  here  and  a  small  skin  of  water.  We  have  a  long 
journey  before  us,  for  we  must  get  near  the  town  you  left 
this  morning  before  daybreak,  and  you  must  eat  to  keep 
up  your  strength." 

•'•'  I  did  not  think,"  the  Spaniard  said,  "  when  we  arrived 
at  the  well,  that  I  could  have  walked  another  mile  had  my 
life  depended  upon  it.  Now  I  feel  a  new  man,  after  the 
fresh  hope  you  have  given  me.  I  no  longer  feel  the  pain 
of  my  bare  feet  or  the  blisters  the  sun  has  raised  on  my 
naked  back.  I  am  struggling  now  for  more  than  life — 
for  my  daughter.  You  shall  not  find  me  fail,  sir." 

AH  night  they  toiled  on.  The  Spaniard  kept  his  promise, 
and  utterly  exhausted  as  he  was,  and  great  as  was  the  pain 
in  his  limbs,  held  on  bravely  With  the  first  dawn  of  morn 
ing  they  saw  the  line  of  the  sea  before  them.  They  now 


270  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

turned  off  from  the  track,  and  in  another  half  hour  the 
Spaniard  took  shelter  in  a  clump  of  bushes  in  a  hollow, 
while  Geoffrey,  having  left  with  him  the  remainder  of  the 
supply  of  provisions  and  water,  pursued  his  way  and  reached 
the  hut  just  as  ihe  sun  was  shining  in  the  east,  and  with 
out  having  encountered  a  single  person. 

"  Well,  have  you  succeeded  ? "  Boldero  asked  eagerly, 
as  he  entered. 

"  Yes  ;  I  have  got  him  away.  He  is  in  hiding  vdthin  a 
mile  of  this  place.  He  kept  on  like  a  hero.  I  was  utterly 
tired  myself,  and  how  he  managed  to  walk  the  distance 
after  what  lie  had  gone  through  in  the  day  is  more  than  I 
can  tell.  His  name  is  Mendez.  He  is  a  trader  in  Cadiz, 
and  owns  many  vessels.  He  was  on  his  way  to  Italy,  with 
his  wife  and  daughter,  in  one  of  his  own  ships,  in  order  to 
gratify  the  desire  of  his  wife  to  visit  the  holy  places  at 
Rome,  She  was  killed  by  a  cannon-shot  during  the  fight, 
and  his  whole  heart  is  now  wrapped  up  in  his  daughter. 
And  now,  Stephen,  I  must  lie  down  and  sleep.  You  will 
have  to  go  to  work  alone  to-day  again,  and  can  truly  say 
that  I  am  still  unfit  for  labor." 

Four  days  later  it  became  known  in  the  little  town  that 
a  messenger  had  arrived  from  the  merchant  who  bought 
the  slaves  from  the  bey,  saying  that  one  of  them  had  made 
his  escape  from  their  first  halting-place. 

"  The  dog  will  doubtless  die  in  the  desert,"  the  mer 
chant  wrote  ;  "  but  if  he  should  find  his  way  down,  or  you 
should  hear  of  him  as  arriving  at  any  of  the  villages,  I  pray 
you  to  send  him  up  to  me  with  a  guard.  I  will  so  treat 
him  that  it  will  be  a  lesson  to  niy  other  slaves  not  to  follow 
his  example." 

Every  evening  after  dark  Geoffrey  went  out  with  a  supply 
of  food  and  water  to  the  fugitive.  For  a  week  he  had  no 
news  to  give  him  as  to  his  daughter ;  but  on  the  eighth 
night  he  said  that  he  and  his  companion  had  that  morning 
been  sent  bj  the  bey  on  board  the  largest  of  the  coasting 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  271 

vessels  in  the  port,  with  orders  to  paint  the  cabins  and  put 
them  iu  a  fit  state  for  the  reception  of  a  personage  of  im 
portance. 

"  This  is  fortunate,  indeed,"  Geoffrey  went  on.  "  No 
doubt  she  is  intended  for  the  transport  of  your  daughter. 
Her  crew  consists  of  a  captain  and  five  men,  but  at  present 
they  are  living  ashore  ;  and  as  we  shall  be  going  backwards 
and  forwards  to  her,  we  ought  to  have  little  difficulty  in 
getting  on  board  and  hiding  away  in  the  hold  before  she 
starts.  I  think  everything  promises  well  for  the  success 
of  our  scheme/' 

The  bey's  superintendent  came  down  the  next  day  to  see 
how  matters  were  going  on  on  board  the  vessel.  The  paint 
ing  was  finisned  that  evening,  and  the  next  day  two  slaves 
brought  down  a  quantity  of  hangings  and  cushions,  which 
Geoffrey  and  his  companion  assisted  the  superintendent  to 
hang  up  and  place  in  order.  Provisions  and  water  hud 
already  been  taken  on  board,  and  they  learnt  that  the 
party  who  were  to  sail  in  her  would  come  off  early  the  next 
morning. 

At  midnight  Geoffrey,  Boldero,  and  the  Spaniard  came 
down  to  the  little  port,  embarked  in  a  fisherman's  boat 
moored  at  the  stairs,  and  noiselessly  ro'ved  off  to  the  vessel. 
They  mounted  on  to  her  deck  barefooted.  Boldero  was 
the  last  to  leave  the  boat,  giving  her  a  vigorous  push  with 
his  foot  in  the  disection  of  the  shore,  from  which  the 
vessel  was  but  some  forty  yards  away.  They  descended 
into  the  hold,  where  they  remained  perfectly  quiet  until 
the  first  light  of  dawn  enabled  them  to  see  what  they  were 
doing,  and  then  moved  some  baskets  full  of  vegetables, 
and  concealed  themselves  behind  them. 

A  quarter  of  an  hour  later  they  heard  a  boat  come  along 
side,  and  the  voices  of  the  sailors.  Then  they  heard  the 
creaking  of  cordage  as  the  sails  were  let  fall  in  readiness 
for  a  start.  Half  an  hour  later  another  boat  came  along 
side.  There  was  a  trampling  of  feet  on  the  deck  above  them, 


272  BY  EXQLA ND^S  AID. 

and  the  bey's  voice  giving  orders.  A  few  minutes  later 
the  anchor  was  raised,  there  was  more  talking  on  deck, 
and  then  they  heard  a  boat  push  off,  and  knew  by  the 
rustle  of  water  against  the  planks  beside  them  that  the 
vessel  was  under  way. 

The  wind  was  light  and  the  sea  perfectly  calm,  and 
beyond  the  slight  murmur  of  the  water,  those  below  would 
not  have  known  that  the  ship  was  in  motion.  It  was  very 
hot  down  in  the  hold,  but  fortunately  the  crew  had  not 
taken  the  trouble  to  put  on  the  hatches,  and  at  times  a  faint 
breath  of  air  could  be  felt  below.  Geoffrey  and  his  com 
panion  talked  occasionally  in  low  tones  ;  but  the  Spaniard 
was  so  absorbed  by  his  anxiety  as  to  the  approaching 
struggle,  and  the  thought  that  he  might  soon  clasp  his 
daughter  to  his  arms,  that  he  seldom  spoke. 

No  plans  could  be  formed  as  to  the  course  they  were  to 
take,  for  they  could  not  tell  whether  those  of  the  crew  off 
duty  would  retire  to  sleep  in  the  little  forecastle  or  would 
lie  down  on  deck.  Then,  too,  they  were  ignorant  as  to  the 
number  of  men  who  had  come  on  board  with  the  captive. 
The  overseer  had  mentioned  the  day  before  that  he  was 
going,  and  it  was  probable  that  three  or  four  others  would 
accompany  him.  Therefore  they  had  to  reckon  npon  ten 
opponents.  Their  only  weapons  were  three  heavy  iron 
bolts,  some  two  feet  long.  These  Boldero  had  purchased 
in  exchange  for  a  few  fish,  when  a  prize  brought  in  was 
broken  up  as  being  useless  for  the  purposes  of  the 
Moors. 

"  What  I  reckon  is,"  he  said,  "  that  you  and  I  ought  to 
be  able  to  settle  two  apiece  of  these  fellows  before  they 
fairly  know  what  is  happening.  The  Don  ought  very 
well  to  account  for  another.  So  that  only  leaves  five  of 
them  ;  and  five  against  three  are  no  odds  worth  speaking 
of,  especially  when  the  five  are  woke  up  by  a  sudden 
attack,  and  ain't  sure  how  many  there  are  against  them. 
I  don't  expect  much  trouble  over  the  affair.'* 


B T  ENGLAND ' S  AW.  273 

"  I  don't  want  to  kill  more  of  the  poor  fellows  than  T 
can  help/'  Geoffrey  said. 

"  No  more  do  I  ;  but  you  see  it's  got  to  be  either  killing 
or  being  killed,  and  I  am  perfectly  certain  which  I  prefer. 
Still,  as  yon  say,  if  the  beggars  are  at  all  reasonable  I  ain't 
for  hurting  them,  but  the  first  few  we  have  got  to  hit  hard. 
When  we  get  matters  a  little  even,  we  can  speak  them  fair." 

The  day  passed  slowly,  and  in  spite  of  their  bent  and 
cramped  position  Geoffrey  and  Stephen  Boldero  dozed  fre 
quently.  The  Spaniard  never  closed  an  eye.  He  was  quite 
prepared  to  take  his  part  in  the  struggle  ;  and  as  he  was 
not  yet  fifty  years  of  age,  his  assistance  was  not  to  be  de 
spised.  But  the  light-hearted  carelessness  of  his  compan 
ions,  who  joked  under  their  breath,  and  laughed  and  eat 
unconcernedly  with  alife-and-death  struggle  against  heavy 
odds  before  them,  surprised  him  much. 

As  darkness  came  on  the  party  below  became  wakeful. 
Their  time  was  coming  now,  and  they  had  no  doubt  what 
ever  as  to  the  result.  Their  most  formidable  opponents 
would  be  the  men  who  had  come  on  board  with  the  bey's 
superintendent,  as  these  no  doubt  would  be  fully  armed. 
As  for  the  sailors,  they  might  have  arms  on  board,  but 
these  would  not  be  ready  to  hand,  and  it  was  really  only 
with  the  guards  they  would  have  to  deal. 

"  I  tell  you  what  I  think  would  be  a  good  plan,  Stephen," 
Geoffrey  said  suddenly.  '•'  You  see,  there  is  plenty  of  spare 
line  down  here  ;  if  we  wait  until  they  are  asleep  we  can  go 
round  and  tie  their  legs  together,  or  put  ropes  round  their 
ankles  and  fasten  them  to  ring-bolts.  If  we  could  manage 
that  without  waking  them,  we  might  capture  the  craft 
without  shedding  any  blood,  and  might  get  them  down  into 
the  hold  one  after  the  other." 

"  I  think  that  is  a  very  good  plan,"  Stephen  agreed.     "  I 

do  not  like  the  thought  of  knocking  sleeping  nicn  on  the 

head  any  more  than  you  do  ;   and  if  we  are  careful,  we 

might  get  them  all  tied  up  before  an  alarm  is  given.     There, 

si 


274  B  T  ENGLAND '  8  AID. 

the  anchor  has  goiie  down.  I  thought  very  likely  they 
would  not  sail  at  night.  That  is  capital.  You  may  be 
sure  that  they  will  be  pretty  close  in  shore,  and  they  prob 
ably  will  have  only  one  man  on  watch  ;  and  as  likely  as 
not  not  even  one,  for  they  will  not  dream  of  any  possible 
clanger." 

For  another  two  hours  the  sound  of  talk  on  deck  went 
on,  but  at  last  all  became  perfectly  quiet.  The  party  be 
low  waited  for  another  half  hour,  and  then  noiselessly  as 
cended  the  ladder  to  the  deck,  holding  in  one  hand  a  cudgel, 
in  the  other  a  number  of  lengths  of  line  cut  about  six  feet 
long.  Each  as  he  reached  the  deck  lay  down  flat.  The 
Spaniard  had  been  told  to  remain  perfectly  quiet  while  the 
other  two  went  about  their  task. 

First  they  crawled  aft,  for  the  bey's  guards  would,  they 
knew,  be  sleeping  at  that  end,  and  working  together  they 
tied  tlie  legs  of  these  men  without  rousing  them.  The 
ropes  could  not  be  tightly  pulled,  as  this  would  at  once  have 
disturbed  them.  They  were  therefore  fastened  somewhat 
in  tho  fashion  of  manacles,  so  that  although  the  men  might 
rise  to  their  feet  they  would  fall  headlong  the  moment  they 
tried  to  walk.  In  addition  other  ropes  were  fastened  to 
these  and  taken  from  one  man  to  another.  Then  their 
swords  were  drawn  from  the  sheaths  and  their  knives  from 
their  sashes. 

The  operation  was  a  long  one,  as  it  had  to  be  conducted 
with  the  greatest  care  and  caution.  They  then  crept  back 
to  the  hatchway  and  told  the  Spaniard  that  the  most  for 
midable  enemies  had  been  made  safe. 

"  Here  are  a  sword  and  a  knife  for  you,  senor  ;  and  now 
as  we  are  all  armed  I  consider  the  ship  as  good  as  won,  for 
the  sailors  are  not  likely  to  make  much  resistance  by  them 
selves.  However,  we  will  secure  some  of  them.  The  moon 
will  be  up  in  half  an  hour,  and  that  will  be  an  advantage 
to  us." 

The  captain  aud  three  of  the  sailors  were  soon  tied  up 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AW.  275- 

like  t.  ie  others.  Two  men  were  standing  in  the  bow  of  the 
yessel  leaning  against  the  bulwarks,  and  when  the  moon 
rose  it  could  be  seen  by  their  attitude  that  both  were  asleep. 

"New,  we  may  as  well  begin,"  Geoffrey  said.  "Let  us 
take  th  ?se  two  fellows  in  the  bow  by  surprise.  Hold  a 
knife  to  their  throats,  and  tell  them  if  they  utter  the  least 
sound  w  ?  will  kill  them.  Then  we  will  make  them  go  down 
into  the  forecastle  and  fasten  them  there." 

"  I  am  ready,"  Stephen  said,  and  they  stole  forward  to 
the  two  sleeping  men.  They  grasped  them  suddenly  by 
the  throat  and  held  a  knife  before  their  eyes,  Boldero  tell 
ing  them  in  a  stern  whisper  that  if  they  uttered  a  cry  they 
would  be  stabbed  to  the  heart.  Paralyzed  by  the  sudden 
attack  they  did  not  make  the  slightest  struggle,  but  ac 
companied  their  unknown  assailants  to  the  forecastle  and 
were  there  fastened  in.  Joined  now  by  the  Spaniard, 
Geoffrey  and  his  companion  went  aft  and  roused  one  of  the 
sleepers  there  with  a  threat  similar  to  that  which  had 
silenced  the  sailors. 

He  was,  however,  a  man  of  different  stuff.  He  gave  a 
loud  shout  and  grappled  with  Boldero,  who  struck  him  a 
heavy  blow  with  his  fist  in  the  face,  and  this  for  a  moment 
silenced  him  ;  but  the  alarm  being  given,  the  superinten 
dent  and  tiio  two  men  struggled  to  their  feet,  only  however 
to  fall  prostrate  as  soon  as  they  tried  to  walk. 

' *  Lie  quiet  and  keep  silence ! "  Boldero  shouted  in  a 
threatening  voice.  "  You  are  unarmed  and  at  our  mercy. 
Your  feet  lire  bound  and  you  are  perfectly  helpless.  We 
do  not  wish  to  take  your  lives,  but  unless  you  are  quiet  we 
shall  be  compelled  to  do  so." 

The  men  had  discovered  by  this  time  that  their  arms  had 
gone,  and  were  utterly  dr  oncerted  by  the  heavy  and  un 
expected  fall  they  had  just  had.  Feeling  that  they  were 
indeed  at  the  mercy  of  their  captors,  they  lay  quiet. 

"Now  then,"  BoMero  went  on,  "  one  at  a  time.  Keep 
quiet,  you  rascals  there ! "  he  broke  off,  shouting  to  the 


276  BY  ENGLAND ' 8  AID. 

sailors  who  were  rolling  and  tumbling  on  the  deck  ibrward, 
*•'  or  I  will  cut  all  your  throats  for  you.  Now  then,  Geoffrey, 
do  you  and  the  senior  cut  the  rope  that  fastens  that  man  on 
the  port  side  to  his  comrades.  -.larch  him  to  the  hatch 
way  and  make  him  go  down  into  the  hold.  Keep  your 
knives  ready  and  kill  him  at  once  if  he  offers  the  slightest 
resistance. " 

One  by  one  the  superintendent  the  three  guards,  the 
captain  and  sailors  were  all  made  to  descend  into  the  hold, 
and  the  hatches  were  put  over  it  and  fastened  down. 

"Now,  senor,"  Geoffrey  said,  "  we  cau  spare  you/' 

The  Spaniard  hurried  to  the  cabin,  opened  the  door,  and 
called  out  his  daughter's  name.  There  was  a  scream  of 
delight  within  as  Dolores  Meiidez,  who  had  been  awakened 
by  the  tumult,  recognized  her  father's  voice,  and  leaping 
up  from  her  couch  threw  herself  into  his  arms.  Geoffrey 
and  his  companion  now  opened  the  door  of  the  forecastle 
and  called  the  two  sailors  out. 

"  Now,"  Boldero  said,  ' '  if  you  want  to  save  your  lives 
you  have  got  to  obey  our  orders.  First  of  all  fall  to  work 
and  get  up  the  anchor,  and  then  shake  out  the  sails  again. 
I  will  take  the  helm,  Geoffrey,  and  do  you  keep  your  eye 
on  these  two  fellows.  There  is  no  fear  of  their  playing  any 
tricks  now  that  they  see  they  are  alone  on  deck,  but  they 
inight,  if  your  back  were  turned,  unfasten  the  hatches. 
However,  I  do  not  think  we  need  fear  trouble  that  way,  as 
for  ought  they  know  we  may  have  cut  the  throats  of  all 
the  others/' 

A  few  minutes  later  the  vessel  was  moving  slowly  through 
the  water  with  her  head  to  the  northwest. 

"  We  must  be  out  of  sight  of  land  if  we  can  by  the  morn 
ing,"  Stephen  said,  when  Geoffrey  two  hours  later  came  to 
take  his  place  at  the  helm  ;  "at  any  rate  until  we  have 
passed  the  place  we  started  from.  Once  beyond  that  it 
does  not  matter  much  ;  but  it  will  be  best  either  to  keep 
out  of  sight  of  land  altogether,  or  else  to  sail  pretty  close 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  277 

to  it,  so  that  they  can  see  the  boat  is  one  of  their  own  craft. 
We  can  choose  which  we  will  do  when  we  see  which  way 
the  breeze  sets  in  the  morning.*' 

It  came  strongly  from  the  south,  and  they  therefore 
determined  to  sail  direct  for  Carthagena. 


278  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

A  SPANISH  MERCHANT. 

As  soon  as  the  sails  had  been  set,  and  the  vessel  was 
under  way,  the  Spaniard  came  out  from  the  cabin.  ''My 
daughter  is  attiring  herself,  sefior,"  he  said  to  Stephen 
Boldero,  for  Geoffrey  was  at  the  time  at  the  helm.  "  She 
is  longing  to  see  you,  and  to  thank  you  for  the  inestimable 
services  you  have  rendered  to  us  both.  But  for  yen  I 
should  now  be  (lying  or  dead,  my  daughter  a  slave  for 
life  in  the  palace  of  the  bey.  What  astonishes  us  boia  is, 
that  such  noble  service  should  have  been  rendered  to  us 
by  two  absolute  strangers,  and  not  strangers  only,  but  by 
Englishmen — a  people  with  whom  Spain  is  at  wur— and 
who  assuredly  can  have  no  reason  to  love  us.  llr/w  came 
you  first  to  think  of  interesting  yourself  on  our  be 
half  ?" 

"  To  tell  you  the  truth,  sefior/'  Stephen  Boldero  said 
bluntly,  "  it  was  the  sight  of  your  daughter  and  not  of 
yourself  that  made  us  resolve  to  save  you  if  possible,  or 
rather,  I  should  say,  made  my  friend  Geoffrey  do  so.  After 
ten  years  in  the  galleys  one's  heart  gets  pretty  tough,  and 
although  even  I  felt  a  deep  pity  for  your  daughter,  I  own 
it  would  never  have  entered  my  mind  to  risk  my  neck  in 
order  to  save  her.  But  Geoffrey  is  younger  and  more 
easily  touched,  and  when  he  saw  her  as  she  landed  pal  t  and 
white  and  grief-stricken,  and  yet  looking  as  if  he  •  ^wn  fate 
touched  her  less  than  the  parting  from  you,  my  %~rA  friend 
Geoffrey  Vickars  was  well-nigh  mad,  and  decla-.,d  that  in 
some  way  or  other,  and  at  whatever  risk  to  o^  alves,  yot> 


THE  SPANIARD  AND  HIS  DAUGHTER  THANK  GEOFFREY  FOR  THEIR 
Eng.  Aid.]  Page  379. 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  279 

must  both  be  saved.  In  this  matter  I  have  been  but  a 
passive  instrument  in  his  hands  ;  as  indeed  it  was  only 
right  that  I  should  be,  seeing  that  he  is  of  gentle  blood 
and  an  esquire  serving  under  Captain  Vere  in  the  army  of 
the  queen,  while  I  am  but  a  rough  sailor.  "What  I  have 
done  I  have  done  partly  because  his  heart  was  in  the 
matter,  partly  because  the  adventure  promised,  if  successful, 
to  restore  me  to  freedom,  and  partly  also,  senor,  for  the 
sake  of  your  brave  young  daughter/' 

"  Ah,  you  are  modest,  sir,"  the  Spaniard  said.  "  You 
are  one  of  those  who  belittle  your  own  good  deeds.  I  feel 
indeed  more  grateful  than  I  can  express  to  you  as  well  as 
to  your  friend." 

The  merchant's  daughter  now  appeared  at  the  door  of 
the  cabin.  Her  father  took  her  hand  and  led  her  up  to 
Boldero.  "  This,  Dolores,  is  one  of  the  two  Englishmen 
who  have  at  the  risk  of  their  lives  saved  me  from  death  and 
you  from  worse  than  death.  Thank  him,  my  child,  and  to 
the  end  of  your  life  never  cease  to  remember  him  in 
your  prayers." 

"  I  am  glad  to  have  been  of  assistance,  senora,"  Boldero 
said  as  the  girl  began  to  speak  ;  "  but  as  I  have  just  been 
telling  your  father,  I  have  played  but  a  small  part  in  the 
business,  it  is  my  friend  Don  Geoffrey  Vickars  who  has 
been  the  leader  in  the  matter.  He  saw  you  landed  at  the 
boat,  and  then  and  there  swore  to  save  you,  and  all  that 
has  been  done  has  been  under  his  direction.  It  was  he 
who  followed  and  rescued  your  father,  and  I  have  really 
had  nothing  to  do  with  the  affair  beyond  hiding  myself  in 
the  hold  and  helping  to  tie  up  your  Moors." 

"  Ah,  sir,"  the  girl  said,  laying  her  hands  earnestly  upon 
the  sailor's  shoulder,  "  it  is  useless  for  you  to  try  to  lessen 
the  services  you  have  rendered  us.  Think  of  what  I  was 
but  an  hour  since — a  captive  with  the  most  horrible  of  all 
fates  before  me,  and  with  the  belief  that  my  father  was 
dying  by  inches  in  the  hands  of  some  cruel  task-master, 


280  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

and  now  he  is  beside  me  and  I  am  free.  This  has  been 
done  by  two  strangers,  men  of  a  nation  which  I  have  been 
taught  to  regard  as  an  enemy.  It  seems  to  me  that  no 
words  that  I  can  speak  could  tell  you  even  faintly  what  I 
Jeel.  and  it  is  God  alone  who  can  reward  you  for  what  you 
have  done." 

Leaving  Boldero,  the  Spaniard  and  his  daughter  went  tc 
the  stern,  where  Geoffrey  was  standing  at  the  helm. 

"  My  daughter  and  I  have  come  to  think  you,  sefior,  for 
having  saved  us  from  the  worst  of  fates  and  restored  us  to 
each  other.  Your  friend  tells  me  that  it  is  to  yon  it  is 
chiefly  due  that  this  has  come  about,  for  that  you  were  so 
moved  to  pity  at  the  sight  of  my  daughter  when  we  first 
landed,  that  you  declared  at  once  that  you  wonld  save  her 
from  her  fate  at  whatever  risk  to  yourself,  and  that  since 
then  he  has  been  but  following  your  directions." 

"  Then  if  he  says  that,  senor,  he  belies  himself.  I  was, 
it  is  true,  the  first  to  declare  that  we  must  save  your 
daughter  at  any  cost  if  it  were  possible  to  do  so  ;  but  had 
I  not  said  so,  I  doubt  not  he  would  have  announced  the 
same  resolution.  Since  then  we  have  planned  everything 
together  ;  and  as  he  is  older  and  more  experienced  than  I 
am,  it  was  upon  his  opinion  that  we  principally  acted.  We 
had  long  made  up  our  minds  to  escape  when  the  opportunity 
came.  Had  it  not  been  that  we  were  stirred  into  action 
by  seeing  your  daughter  in  the  hands  of  the  Moors,  it 
might  have  been  years  before  we  decided  to  run  the  risks. 
Therefore  if  you  owe  your  freedom  to  us,  to  some  extent 
we  owe  ours  to  you  ;  and  if  we  have  been  your  protectors 
so  far,  we  hope  that  when  we  arrive  in  Spain  you  will  be 
our  protectors  there,  for  to  us  Spain  is  as  much  an  enemy's 
country  as  Barbary. " 

"  That  you  can  assuredly  rely  upon/'  the  trader  replied. 
"  All  that  I  have  i?  at  your  disposal." 

For  an  hour  they  stood  talking.  Dolores  said  but  little. 
She  had  felt  no  shyness  with  the  stalwart  sailor,  but  to  this 


B  Y  ENGLAND '  8  AID.  281 

youth  who  had  doiie  her  such  signal  service  she  felt  unable 
sft  frankly  to  express  her  feelings  of  thankfulness. 

By  morning  the  coast  of  Africa  was  but  a  faint  line  on 
the  horizon,  and  the  ship  was  headed  west.  Except  when 
any  alteration  of  the  sails  was  required,  the  two  Moors  who 
acted  as  the  crew  were  made  to  retire  into  the  forecastle, 
and  were  there  fastened  in,  Geoffrey  and  Boldero  sleeping 
by  turns. 

After  breakfast  the  little  party  gathered  round  the  helm, 
and  at  the  request  of  Juan  Mendez,  Geoffrey  and  Stephen 
both  related  how  it  befell  that  they  had  become  slaves  to 
the  Moors. 

"  Your  adventures  are  both  singular/'  the  trader  said 
when  they  had  finished.  "  Yours,  Don  Geoffrey,  are  ex 
traordinary.  It  is  marvelous  that  you  should  have  been 
picked  up  in  that  terrible  fight,  and  should  have  shared 
in  all  the  perils  of  that  awful  voyage  back  to  Spain  with 
out  its  being  ever  suspected  that  you  were  English.  Once 
landed  in  she  service  as  you  say  of  Senor  Burke,  it  is  not 
so  surprising  that  you  should  have  gone  freely  about 
Spain.  But  your  other  adventures  are  wonderful,  and  you 
and  your  friend  were  fortunate  indeed  in  succeeding  as 
you  di<  in  carrying  off  the  lady  he  loved  ;  and  deeply  they 
must  have  mourned  your  supposed  death  on  the  deck  of 
the  Moorish  galley.  And  now  tell  me  what  are  your  plans 
when  you  arrive  in  Spain  ?  " 

"  We  have  no  fixed  plans,  save  that  we  hope  some  day  to 
be  able  to  return  home,"  Geoffrey  said.  "  Stephen  here 
could  pass  well  enough  as  a  Spaniard  when  once  ashore 
without  being  questioned,  and  his  idea  is,  if  there  is  no 
possibility  of  getting  on  board  an  English  or  Dutch  ship  at 
Cadiz,  to  ship  on  board  a  Spaniard,  and  to  take  his  chance 
of  leaving  her  at  some  port  at  which  she  may  touch.  As 
for  myself,  although  I  speak  Spanish  fluently,  my  accent 
would  at  once  betray  me  to  be  a  foreigner.  But  if  you  will 
take  me  into  jour  house  for  a  time  until  I  can  see  a  chance 


282  3  T  ENGLAND '  8  AID. 

of  escaping,  my  past  need  not  be  inquired  into.  You 
could  of  course  mention,  were  it  asked,  that  I  was  English  by 
birth,  but  had  sailed  in  the  Armada  with  my  patron,  Mr. 
Burke,  and  it  would  be  naturally  supposed  that  I  was  an 
exile  from  England." 

"  That  can  certainly  be  managed,"  the  trader  said.  "  I 
fear  that  it  will  be  difficult  to  get  you  on  board  a  ship 
either  of  your  countrymen  or  of  the  Hollanders  ;  these  are 
most  closely  watched  lest  fugitives  from  the  law  or  from 
the  Inquisition  should  escape  on  board  them.  Still,  some 
opportunity  may  sooner  or  later  occur  ;  and  the  later  the 
better  pleased  shall  I  be,  for  it  will  indeed  be  a  pleasure  to 
me  to  have  you  with  me." 

In  the  afternoon  Geoffrey  said  to  Stephen,  "  I  have  been 
thinking,  Stephen,  about  the  men  in  the  hold,  and  I  should 
be  glad  for  them  to  return  to  their  homes.  If  they  go 
with  us  to  Spain  they  will  be  made  galley-slaves,  and  this 
I  should  not  like,  especially  in  the  case  of  the  bey's  super 
intendent.  The  bey  was  most  kind  to  us,  and  this  man 
himself  always  spoke  in  our  favor  to  him,  and  behaved  well 
to  us.  I  think,  therefore,  that  out  of  gratitude  to  the  bey 
we  should  let  them  go.  The  wind  is  fair,  and  there  are, 
so  far  as  I  can  see,  no  signs  of  any  change  of  weather.  By 
to-morrow  night  the  coast  of  Spain  will  be  in  sight.  I  see 
no  reason,  therefore,  why  \ve  should  not  be  able  to  navigate 
her  until  we  get  near  the  land,  when  Mendez  can  engage 
the  crew  of  some  fishing-boat  to  take  us  into  a  port.  If  we 
put  them  into  the  boat  with  plenty  of  water  and  provisions. 
they  will  make  the  coast  by  morning  ;  and  as  I  should 
guess  that  we  must  at  present  be  somewhere  abreast  of  the 
port  from  which  we  started,  they  will  not  be  very  far  from 
home  when  they  land." 

"  I  have  no  objection  whatever,  Geoffrey.  As  yon  say 
we  were  not  treated  badly,  at  any  rate  from  the  day  whe?i 
the  bey  had  us  up  to  his  house  ;  and  after  ten  years  in  the 
galleys,  I  do  not  wish  my  worst  enemies  such  a  fate.  We 


B  f  JSX bLAND '  8  AID.  283 

must,  of  course,  be  careful  how  we  get  them  into  the 
boat." 

"  There  will  be  three  of  us  with  swords  and  pistols,  and 
they  will  be  unarmed,"  Geoffrey  said.  "  We  will  put  the 
two  men  now  in  the  forecastle  into  the  boat  first,  and  let 
the  others  coine  up  one  by  one  and  take  their  places.  We  will 
have  a  talk  with  the  superintendent  first,  and  give  him  a 
message  to  the  bey,  saying  that  we  are  not  ungrateful  for 
his  kindness  to  us,  but  that  of  course  we  seized  the  oppor 
tunity  that  presented  itself  of  making  our  escape,  as  he 
would  himself  have  done  in  similar  circumstances  ;  never 
theless  that  as  a  proof  of  our  gratitude  to  him,  we  for  his 
sake  release  the  whole  party  on  board,  and  give  them  the 
means  of  safely  returning/' 

An  hour  later  the  boat,  pulled  by  four  oars,  left  the  side 
of  the  ship  with  the  crew,  the  superintendent  and  guards, 
and  the  two  women  who  had  come  on  board  to  attend  upon 
Dolores  upon  the  voyage. 

The  next  morning  the  vessel  was  within  a  few  miles  of 
the  Spanish  coast.  An  hour  later  a  fishing-boat  was 
hailed,  and  an  arrangement  made  with  the  crew  to  take 
the  vessel  down  to  Carthagena,  which  was,  they  learned, 
some  fifty  miles  distant.  The  wind  was  now  very  light, 
and  it  was  not  until  the  following  day  that  they  entered 
the  port.  As  it  was  at  once  perceived  that  the  little  vessel 
was  Moorish  in  rigging  and  appearance,  a  boat  immediately 
came  alongside  to  inquire  whence  she  came. 

Juan  Mendez  had  no  difficulty  in  satisfying  the  officer  as 
to  his  identity,  he  being  well  known  to  several  traders  in 
the  town.  His  story  of  the  attack  upon  his  ship  by  Bar- 
bary  pirates,  its  capture,  and  his  own  escape  and  that  of 
his  daughter  by  the  aid  of  two  Christian  captives,  excited 
great  interest  as  soon  as  it  became  known  in  the  town  ;  for 
it  was  rare,  indeed,  that  a  captive  ever  succeeded  in  mak 
ing  his  escape  from  the  hands  of  the  Moors.  It  had  al 
ready  been  arranged  that,  in  telling  his  story,  the  trader 


284  B T  ENGLAND '  S  AIL. 

should  make  as  little  as  possible  of  his  companions'  share 
in  the  business,  so  that  public  attention  should  not  be  at 
tracted  towards  them.  He  himself  with  Dolores  at  once 
disembarked,  but  his  companions  did  not  come  ashore  until 
after  nightfall. 

Stephen  Boldero  took  a  Spanish  name,  but  Geoffrey  re 
tained  his  own,  as  the  story  that  he  was  traveling  as  a  serv 
ant  with  Mr.  Burke,  a  well-known  Irish  gentleman  who 
had  accompanied  the  Armada,  was  sufficient  to  account  for 
his  nationality.  Under  the  plea  that  he  was  anxious  to  re 
turn  to  Cadiz  as  soon  as  possible,  Senor  Mendez  arranged 
for  horses  and  mules  to  start  the  next  morning.  He  had 
sent  off  two  trunks  of  clothes  to  the  ship  an  hour  after  he 
landed,  and  the  two  Englishmen  therefore  escaped  all  ob 
servation,  as  they  wandered  about  for  an  hour  or  two  after 
landing,  and  did  not  go  to  the  inn  where  Mendez  was  stay 
ing  until  it  was  time  to  retire  to  bed. 

The  next  morning  the  party  started.  The  clothes  that 
Geoffrey  was  wearing  were  those  suited  to  an  employe  in  a 
house  of  business,  while  those  of  Boldero  were  such  as 
would  be  worn  by  the  captain  or  mate  of  a  merchant  ves 
sel  on  shore.  Both  were  supplied  with  arms,  for  although 
the  party  had  nothing  to  attract  the  cupidity  of  robbers  be 
yond  the  trunks  containing  the  clothes  purchased  011  the 
preceding  day,  and  the  small  amount  of  money  necessary 
for  their  travel  on  the  road,  the  country  was  so  infested 
by  bands  of  robbers  that  no  one  traveled  unarmed.  The 
journey  to  Cadiz  was,  however,  accomplished  without  ad 
venture. 

The  house  of  Senor  Mendez  was  a  large  and  comfortable 
one.  Upon  the  ground  floor  were  his  offices  and  store 
rooms.  He  himself  and  his  family  occupied  the  two  next 
floors,  while  in  those  above  his  clerks  and  employes  lived. 
His  unexpected  return  caused  great  surprise,  and  in  a  few 
hours  a  number  of  acquaintances  called  to  hear  the  story  of 
the  adventures  through  which  he  had  passed,  and  to  con- 


B  Y  ENGLAND '  5  AID,  285 

dole  with  him  on  the  loss  of  his  wife.  At  his  own  request 
Stephen  Boldero  had  been  given  in  charge  of  the  principal 
clerk,  and  a  room  assigned  to  him  in  the  upper  story. 

"  I  shall  be  much  more  comfortable,"  he  said,  "  among 
your  people,  Don  Mendez.  I  am  a  rough  sailor,  and  ten 
years  in  the  galleys  don't  improve  any  manners  a  man  may 
have  had.  If  I  were  among  your  friends  I  would  be  out 
of  place  and  uncomfortable,  and  should  always  have  to  be 
bowing  and  scraping  and  exchanging  compliments,  and 
besides  they  would  soon  find  out  that  my  Spanish  was 
doubtful.  I  talk  a  sailor's  slang,  but  I  doubt  if  I  should 
understand  pure  Spanish.  Altogether,  I  should  be  very 
uncomfortable,  and  should  make  you  uncomfortable,  and 
I  would  very  much  rather  take  my  place  among  the  men 
that  work  for  you  until  I  can  get  on  board  a  ship  again." 

Geoffrey  was  installed  in  the  portion  of  the  house  occu 
pied  by  the  merchant,  and  was  introduced  by  him  to  his 
friends  simply  as  the  English  gentleman  who  had  rescued 
him  and  his  daughter  from  the  hands  of  the  Moors,  it  be 
ing  incidentally  mentioned  that  he  had  sailed  in  the  Ar 
mada,  and  that  he  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  corsairs 
in  the  course  of  a  voyage  made  with  his  friend  Mr.  Burke  to 
Italy.  He  at  once  took  his  place  as  a  friend  and  assistant 
of  the  merchant ;  and  as  the  latter  had  many  dealings  with 
Dutch  and  English  merchants,  Geoffrey  was  able  to  be  of 
considerable  use  to  him  in  his  written  communications  to 
the  captains  of  the  various  vessels  of  those  nationalities  in 
the  port. 

"  I  think,"  the  merchant  said  to  him  a  fortnight  after 
his  arrival  in  Cadiz,  "that,  if  it  would  not  go  against  your 
conscience,  it  would  be  most  advisable  that  you  should  ac- 
compauy  me  sometimes  to  church.  Unless  you  do  this, 
sooner  or  later  suspicion  is  sure  to  be  roused,  and  you  know 
that  if  you  were  once  suspected  of  being  a  heretic,  the  In 
quisition  would  lay  its  hands  upon  you  in  no  time." 

"  I  have  no  objection  whatever,"  Geoffrey  said.     "  Were 


1286  BT  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

I  questioned  I  should  at  once  acknowledge  that  I  was  a 
Protestant ;  but  I  see  no  harm  in  going  to  a  house  of  God 
to  say  my  prayers  there,  while  others  are  saying  theirs  in 
a  different  manner.  There  is  no  church  of  my  own  relig 
ion  here,  and  I  can  see  no  harm  whatever  in  doing  as  you 
suggest." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  that  that  is  your  opinion,"  Senor 
Mendez  said,  "  for  it  is  the  one  point  concerning  which  I 
was  uneasy.  I  have  ordered  a  special  mass  at  the  church 
of  St.  Dominic  to-morrow,  in  thanksgiving  for  our  safe 
escape  from  the  nands  of  the  Moors,  and  it  would  be  well 
that  you  should  accompany  us  there. '' 

"I  will  do  so  most  willingly/'  Geoffrey  said.  "  I  have 
returned  thanks  many  times,  but  shall  be  glad  to  do  so 
again  in  a  house  dedicated  to  God's  service/' 

Accordingly  the  next  day  Geoffrey  accompanied  Don 
Mendez  and  his  daughter  to  the  church  of  St.  Dominic, 
and  as  he  knelt  by  them  wondered  why  men  should  hate 
each  other  because  they  differed  as  to  the  ways  and  meth 
ods  in  which  they  should  worship  God.  From  that  time 
on  he  occasionally  accompanied  Senor  Mendez  to  the 
church,  saying  his  prayers  earnestly  in  his  own  fashion, 
and  praying  that  he  might  some  day  be  restored  to  his 
home  aud  friends. 

He  and  the  merchant  had  frequently  talked  over  all 
possible  plans  for  his  escape,  but  the  extreme  vigilance  of 
the  Spanish  authorities  with  reference  to  the  English  and 
Dutch  trading  ships  seemed  to  preclude  any  possibility  of 
his  being  smuggled  on  board.  Every  bale  and  package 
was  closely  examined  on  the  quay  before  being  sent  off. 
Spanish  officials  were  on  board  from  the  arrival  to  the  de 
parture  of  each  ship,  and  no  communication  whatever  was 
allowed  between  the  shore  and  these  vessels,  except  in  boats 
belonging  to  the  authorities,  every  paper  and  document 
passing  first  through  their  hands  for  examination  be 
fore  being  sent  on  board.  The  trade  carried  on  between 


B Y  ESGLAND ' 8  AID.  281 

England,  Holland,  and  Spain  at  the  time  when  these 
^nations  were  engaged  in  war  was  a  singular  one  ;  but 
it  was  permitted  by  all  three  countries,  because  the  pro 
ducts  of  each  were  urgently  required  by  the  others.  It 
was  kept  within  narrow  limits,  and  there  were  frequent 
angry  complaints  exchanged  between  the  English  govern 
ment  and  that  of  Holland,  when  either  considered  the  other 
to  be  going  beyond  that  limit. 

Geoffrey  admitted  to  himself  that  he  might  again  make 
the  attempt  to  return  to  England,  by  taking  passage  as 
before  in  a  ship  bound  for  Italy,  but  he  knew  that  Eliza 
beth  was  negotiating  with  Philip  for  peace,  and  thought 
that  he  might  as  well  await  the  result.  He  was,  indeed, 
very  happy  at  Cadiz,  and  shrank  from  the  thought  of  leav 
ing  it. 

Stephen  Boldero  soon  became  restless,  and  at  his  urgent 
request  Juan  Mendez  appointed  him  second  mate  on  board 
one  of  his  ships  sailing  for  the  West  Indies,  his  intention 
being  to  make  his  escape  if  an  opportunity  offered  •  but  if 
not,  he  preferred  a  life  of  activity  to  wandering  aimlessly 
about  the  streets  of  Cadiz.  He  was  greatly  grieved  to  part 
from  Geoffrey,  and  promised  that,  should  he  ever  reach 
England,  he  would  at  once  journey  down  to  Hedingham, 
and  report  his  safety  to  his  father  and  mother. 

"  You  will  do  very  well  here,  Master  Geoffrey,"  he  said. 
"  You  are  quite  at  home  with  all  the  Spaniards,  and  it 
will  not  be  very  long  before  you  speak  the  language  so  well 
that,  except  for  your  name,  none  would  take  you  for  a 
foreigner.  You  have  found  work  to  do,  and  are  really  bet 
ter  off  here  than  you  would  be  starving  and  fighting  in 
Holland.  Besides,"  he  said  with  a  sly  wink,  "  there  are 
other  attractions  for  you.  Juan  Mendez  treats  you  as  a 
son,  and  the  senorita  knows  that  she  owes  everything  to 
you.  You  might  do  worse  than  settle  here  for  life.  Like 
enough  you  will  see  me  back  again  in  six  months'  time, 
for  if  I  see  no  chance  of  slipping  off  and  reaching  one  of 


288  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

the  islands  held  by  the  buccaneers,  I  shall  perforce  retur 
in  the  ship  I  go  out  in." 

At  parting  Senor  Mendez  bestowed  a  bag  containing  fivx 
hundred  gold  pieces  upon  Stephen  Boldero  as  a  reward  foi 
the  service  he  had  rendered  him. 

Geoffrey  missed  him  greatly.  For  eighteen  months  they 
had  been  constantly  together,  and  it  was  the  sailors  com 
panionship  and  cheerfulness  that  had  lightened  the  first 
days  of  his  captivity  ;  and  had  it  not  been  for  his  advice 
and  support  he  might  now  have  been  tugging  at  an  oar  in 
the  bey's  corsair  galley.  Ever  since  they  had  been  at  Cadiz 
he  had  daily  spent  an  hour  or  two  in  his  society  ;  for  when 
work  was  done  they  generally  went  for  a  walk  together  on 
the  fortifications,  and  talked  of  England  and  discussed  the 
possibility  of  escape.  After  his  departure  he  was  thrown 
more  than  before  into  the  society  of  the  merchant  ami  his 
daughter.  The  feeling  that  Dolores,  had,  when  he  first 
saw  her,  excited  within  him  had  changed  its  character. 
She  was  very  pretty  now  that  she  had  recovered  her  life 
and  spirits,  and  she  made  no  secret  of  the  deep  feeling  of 
gratitude  she  entertained  towards  him.  One  day,  three 
months  after  Stephen's  departure  Senor  Mendez,  when  they 
were  alone  together,  broached  the  subject  on  which  his 
thoughts  had  been  turned  so  much  of  late. 

"  Friend  Geoffrey,"  he  said,  "  I  think  that  I  am  not 
mistaken  in  supposing  that  you  have  an  affection  for  Do 
lores.  I  have  marked  its  growth,  and  although  I  would 
naturally  have  rather  bestowed  her  upon  a  countryman, 
yet,  I  feel  that  you  have  a  right  to  her  as  having  saved 
her  from  the  horrible  fate  that  would  have  undoubtedly 
befallen  her,  and  that  it  is  not  for  me,  to  whom  you  have 
restored  her,  besides  saving  my  own  life,  to  offer  any  ob 
jection.  As  to  her  feelings,  I  have  no  doubt  whatever. 
Were  you  of  my  religion  and  race,  such  a  match  would 
afford  me  the  greatest  happiness.  As  it  is  I  regret  it  only 
because  I  feel  that  some  day  or  other  it  will  lead  to  a  sep- 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  289 

aration  from  me.  It  is  natural  that  you  should  wish  to 
v  return  to  your  own  country,  and  as  this  war  cannot  go  on 
for  ever,  doubtless  in  time  some  opportunity  for  doing  so 
will  arrive.  This  I  foresee  and  must  submit  to,  but  if 
there  is  peace  I  shall  be  able  occasionally  to  visit  her  in  her 
home  in  England.  I  naturally  hope  that  it  will  be  long  be 
fore  I  shall  thus  lose  her.  She  is  my  only  child,  and  I  give- 
as  her  dower  the  half  of  my  business,  arid  you  will  join  me 
as  an  equal  partner.  When  the  war  is  over  yon  can,  if 
you  wish,  establish  yourself  in  London,  and  thence  carry 
on  and  enlarge  the  English  and  Dutch  trade  of  our  house. 
I  may  even  myself  settle  there.  I  have  not  thought  this 
over  at  present,  nor  is  there  any  occasion  to  do  so.  I  am 
a  wealthy  man  and  there  is  no  need  for  me  to  continue  in 
business,  and  I  am  not  sure  when  the  time  comes  I  shall 
not  prefer  to  abandon  my  country  rather  than  be  sep 
arated  from  my  daughter.  At  any  rate  for  the  present  I 
offer  you  her  hand  and  a  share  in  my  business." 

Geoffrey  expressed  in  suitable  terms  the  gratitude  and 
delight  he  felt  at  the  offer.  It  was  contrary  to  Spanish 
notions  that  he  should  receive  from  Dolores  in  private  any 
assurance  that  the  proposal  in  which  she  was  so  largely 
concerned  was  one  to  which  she  assented  willingly,  but  her 
father  at  once  fetched  her  in  and  formally  presented  her  to 
Geoffrey  as  his  promised  wife,  and  a  month  later  the  mar 
riage  was  solemnized  at  the  church  of  St.  Dominic. 


290  B  Y  ENGLAND '  8  AIQ 


CHAPTER  XVIH. 

IVRY. 

THE  day  after  the  capture  of  Breda  Sir  Francis  Vere 
sent  for  Lionel  Vickars  to  his  quarters.  Prince  Maurice 
and  several  of  his  principal  officers  were  there,  and  the 
prince  thanked  him  warmly  for  the  share  he  had  taken  in 
the  capture  of  the  town. 

"  Captain  Heraugiere  has  told  me,"  he  said,  "that  the 
invention  of  the  scheme  that  has  ended  so  well  is  due  as 
much  to  you  as  to  him,  that  you  accompanied  him  on  the 
reconnoitering  expedition  and  shared  in  the  dangers  of  the 
party  in  the  barge.  I  trust  Sir  Francis  Vere  will  appoint 
you  to  the  first  ensigncy  vacant  in  his  companies,  but 
should  there  be  likely  to  be  any  delay  in  this  I  will  gladly 
give  yon  a  commission  in  one  of  my  own  regiments." 

"  I  have  forestalled  your  wish,  prince,"  Sir  Francis  said, 
"  and  have  this  morning  given  orders  that  his  appointment 
shall  be  made  out  as  ensign  in  one  of  my  companies,  but 
at  present  I  do  not  intend  him  to  join.  I  have  been  ordered 
by  the  queen  to  send  further  aid  to  help  the  King  of  France 
against  the  League.  I  have  already  despatched  several  com 
panies  to  Brittany,  and  will  now  send  two  others.  I  would 
that  my  duties  permitted  me  personally  to  take  part  in  the 
enterprise,  for  the  battle  of  the  Netherlands  is  at  present 
being  fought  on  the  soil  of  France  ;  but  this  is  impossible. 
Several  of  my  friends,  however,  volunteers  and  others,  will 
journey  with  the  two  companies,  being  desirous  of  fight 
ing  under  the  banner  of  Henry  of  Navarre.  Sir  Ralph 
Pimpernel,  who  is  married  to  a  French  Huguenot  lady  and 
has  connections  at  the  French  court,  will  lead  them-  T 


B T  ENGLAND ' S  AID.  £j I 

have  spoken  to  him  this  morning,  and  he  will  gladly  allow 
my  young  friend  here  to  accompany  him.  I  think  that 
it  is  the  highest  reward  I  can  give  him,  to  afford  him 
thus  an  opportunity  of  seeing  stirring  service ;  for  I  doubt 
not  that  in  a  very  short  time  a  great  battle  will  be  fought. 
We  know  that  Alva  has  sent  eighteen  hundred  of  the  best 
cavalry  of  Flanders  to  aid  the  League,  and  he  is  sure  to 
have  given  orders  that  they  are  to  be  back  again  as  soon  as 
possible.  How  do  you  like  the  prospect,  Lionel  ?" 

Lionel  warmly  expressed  his  thanks  to  Sir  Francis  Vere 
for  his  kindness,  and  said  that  nothing  could  delight  him 
more  than  to  take  part  in  such  an  enterprise. 

"  I  must  do  something  at  any  rate  to  prove  my  gratitude 
for  your  share  in  the  capture  of  this  city,"  Prince  Maurice 
said  ;  "  and  will  send  you  presently  two  of  the  best  horses 
of  those  we  have  found  in  the  governor's  stables,  together 
wi'h  arms  and  armor  suitable  to  your  rank  as  an  officer  of 
Sir  Francis  Vere." 

Upon  the  following  morning  a  party  of  ten  knights  and 
gentlemen,  including  Lionel  Vickars,  rode  to  Bergen-op- 
Zoom.  The  two  companies,  which  were  drawn  from  the 
garrison  of  that  town,  had  embarked  the  evening  before  in 
ships  that  had  come  from  England  to  transport  them  to 
France.  Sir  Ealph  Pimpernel  and  his  party  at  once  went 
on  board,  and  as  soon  as  their  horses  were  embarked  the 
sails  were  hoisted.  Four  days'  voyage  took  them  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Seine,  and  they  landed  £,t  Honfleur  on  the 
south  bank  of  the  river.  There  was  a  large  number  of 
ships  in  port,  for  the  Protestant  princes  of  Germany  were, 
as  well  as  England,  sending  aid  to  Henry  of  Navarre,  and 
numbers  of  gentlemen  and  volunteers  were  flocking  to  his 
banners. 

For  the  moment  Henry  IV.  represented  in  the  eyes  of 
Europe  the  Protestant  cause.  He  was  supported  by  the 
Huguenots  of  France  and  by  some  of  the  Catholic  noble 
men  and  gentry.  Against  him  were  arrayed  the  greater 


292  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

portion  of  the  Catholic  nobles,  the  whole  faction  of  the 
Guises  and  the  Holy  League,  supported  by  Philip  of  Spain. 

The  party  from  Holland  disembarked  at  midday  on  the 
9th  of  March.  Hearing  rumors  that  a  battle  was  expected 
rery  shortly  to  take  place,  Sir  Ralph  Pimpernel  started  at 
once  with  his  mounted  party  for  Dreux,  which  town  was 
being  besieged  by  Henry,  leaving  the  two  companies  of 
foot  to  press  on  at  their  best  speed  behind  him.  The  dis 
tance  to  be  ridden  was  about  sixty  miles,  and  late  at  night 
on  the  10th  they  rode  into  a  village  eight  miles  from  Dreux. 
Here  they  heard  that  the  Duke  of  Mayenne,  who  com 
manded  the  force  of  the  League,  was  approaching  the 
Seine  at  Mantes  with  an  army  of  ten  thousand  foot  and 
four  tnousand  horse. 

"  We  must  mount  at  daybreak,  gentlemen,"  Sir  Ralph 
Pimpernel  said,  "or  the  forces  of  the  League  will  get 
between  us  and  the  king.  It  is  evident  that  we  have  but 
just  arrived  in  time,  and  it  is  well  we  did  not  wait  for  our 
foot-men." 

The  next  morning  they  mounted  early  and  rode  on  to 
the  royal  camp  near  Dreux.  Here  Sir  Ralph  Pimpernel 
found  Marshal  Biron,  a  relation  of  his  wife,  who  at  once 
took  him  to  the  king. 

"  You  have  just  arrived  in  time,  Sir  Ralph,"  the  king 
said  when  Marshal  Biron  introduced  him,  "for  to-morrow, 
or  at  latest  the  day  after,  we  are  likely  to  try  our  strength 
with  Mayenne.  Yon  will  find  many  of  your  compatriots 
here.  I  can  offer  you  but  poor  hospitality  at  present,  but 
hope  to  entertain  you  rarely  some  day  when  the  good  city 
of  Paris  opens  its  gates  to  us." 

"  Thanks,  sire,"  Sir  Ralph  replied  ;  "  but  we  have  come 
to  fight  and  not  to  feast." 

"  I  think  I  can  promise  you  plenty  of  that  at  any  rate," 
the  king  said.  "  You  have  ten  gentlemen  with  you,  I  hear, 
and  also  that  there  are  two  companies  of  foot  from  Holland 
now  on  their  way  up  from  Honfleur." 


B Y  ENGLAND ' 8  AID.  293 

"  They  landed  at  noon  the  day  before  yesterday,  sire,  and 
will  probably  be  up  to-morrow," 

"  They  will  be  heartily  welcome,  Sir  Ralph.  Since  Par 
ma  has  sent  so  large  a  force  to  help  Mayenne  it  is  bnt  right 
that  Holland,  which  is  relieved  of  the  presence  of  these 
troops,  should  lend  me  a  helping  hand." 

Quarters  were  found  for  the  party  in  a  village  near  the 
camp  ;  for  the  force  was  badly  provided  with  tents,  the 
king's  resources  being  at  a  very  low  ebb  ;  he  maintained  the 
war,  indeed,  chiefly  by  the  loans  he  received  from  England 
and  Germany.  The  next  day  several  bodies  of  troops  were 
seen  approaching  the  camp.  A  quarter  of  an  hour  later  the 
trumpets  blew  ;  officers  rode  about,  ordering  the  tents  to  be 
leveled  and  the  troops  to  prepare  to  march.  A  messenger 
from  Marshal  Biron  rode  at  full  speed  into  the  village, 
where  many  of  the  volunteers  from  England  and  Germany, 
besides  the  party  of  Sir  Ralph  Pimpernel,  were  lodged. 

"  The  marshal  bids  me  tell  you,  gentlemen,  that  the  army 
moves  at  once.  Marshal  D'Aumont  has  fallen  back  from 
Ivry  ;  Mayenne  is  advancing.  The  siege  will  be  abandoned 
at  present,  and  we  march  towards  Nonancourt,  where  we 
shall  give  battle  to-morrow  if  Mayenne  is  disposed  for  it." 

The  camps  were  struck  and  the  wagons  loaded,  and  the 
army  marched  to  St.  Andre,  a  village  situated  on  an  ele 
vated  plain  commanding  a  view  of  all  the  approaches  from 
the  country  between  the  Seine  and  Eure. 

"  This  is  a  fine  field  a  for  battle,"  Sir  Ralph  said,  as  the 
troops  halted  on  the  ground  indicated  by  the  camp-marshals. 
"  It  is  splendid  ground  for  cavalry  to  act,  and  it  is  upon 
them  the  brunt  of  the  fighting  will  fall.  We  are  a  little 
stronger  in  foot;  for  several  companies  from  Honfleur,  our 
own  among  them,  have  come  up  this  morning,  and  I  hear 
we  muster  twelve  thousand,  which  is  more  than  thev  sav 

«/  •/ 

Mayenne  has  with  him.  But  then  he  has  four  thousand 
cavalry  to  our  three  thousand  ;  and  Parma's  regiments  of 
Spaniards,  Walloons,  and  Italian  veterans  are  far  superior 


294  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

troops  to  Henry's  bands  of  riders,  who  are  mostly  Hugue 
not  noblemen  and  gentlemen,  with  their  armed  retainers, 
tough  and  hardy  men  to  figlit,  as  they  have  shown  them 
selves  on  many  a  field,  but  without  any  of  the  discipline  of 
Parma'.:  troopers. 

"  If  Parma  himself  commanded  yonder  army  I  should 
not  feel  confident  of  the  result ;  but  Mayenne,  though  a 
skilful  general,  is  slow  and  cautious,  while  Henry  of  Xa- 
varre  is  full  of  fire  and  energy,  and  brave  almost  to  rash 
ness.  We  are  to  muster  under  the  command  of  the  king 
himself.  He  will  have  eight  hundred  horse,  formed  into  six 
squadrons,  behind  him,  and  upon  these  will,  I  fancy,  come 
the  chief  shock  of  the  battle.  He  will  be  covered  on  each 
side  by  the  English  and  Swiss  infantry  ;  in  all  four  thousand 
strong. 

"  Marshal  Biron  will  be  on  the  right  with  five  troops  of 
horse  and  four  regiments  of  French  infantry  ;  while  on  the 
left  will  be  the  troops  of  D'Aumont,  Montpensier,  Biron  the 
younger,  D'Angouleme,  and  De  Givry,  supported  in  all  by 
two  regiments  of  French  infantry,  one  of  Swiss,  and  one  of 
German.  The  marshal  showed  us  the  plan  of  battle  last 
night  in  his  tent.  It  is  well  balanced  and  devised." 

It  was  late  in  the  evening  before  the  whole  of  the  force 
had  reached  the  position  and  the  tents  were  erected.  One 
of  these  had  been  placed  at  the  disposal  of  Sir  Ralph's  party. 
Sir  Ralph  and  four  of  his  companions  had  been  followed 
by  their  mounted  squires,  and  these  collected  firewood,  and 
supplied  the  horses  with  forage  from  the  sacks  they  carried 
slung  from  their  saddles,  while  the  knights  and  gentlemen 
themselves  polished  up  their  arms  and  armor,  so  as  to  make 
as  brave  a  show  as  possible  in  the  ranks  of  the  king's  cavalry. 

When  they  had  eaten  their  supper  Lionel  Vickars 
strolled  through  the  camp,  and  was  amused  at  the  contrast 
presented  by  the  various  groups.  The  troops  of  cavalry 
of  the  French  nobles  were  gayly  attired  ;  the  tents  of  the 
officers  lar^e  and  commodious,  with  rich  hangings  and  ap- 


B  F  ENGLAND '  S  AU.  295 

pointments.  The  sound  of  light-hearted  laugiiLer  came 
from  the  groups  round  the  campfires,  squires  and  pages 
moved  about  thickly,  and  it  was  evident  that  comfort, 
and  indeed  luxury,  were  considered  by  the  commanders  as 
essential  even  upon  a  campaign.  The  encampments  of 
the  German,  Swiss,  and  English  infantry  were  of  far  hum 
bler  design.  The  tents  of  the  officers  were  few  in  number, 
and  of  the  simplest  form  and  make.  A  considerable  por 
tion  of  the  English  infantry  had  been  drawn  from  Holland, 
for  the  little  army  there  was  still  the  only  body  of  trained 
troops  at  Elizabeth's  disposal. 

The  Swiss  and  Germans  were  for  the  most  part  mer 
cenaries.  Some  had  been  raised  at  the  expense  of  the 
Protestant  princes,  others  were  paid  from  the  sums  sup 
plied  from  England.  The  great  proportion  of  the  men 
were  hardy  veterans  who  had  fought  under  many  banners, 
and  cared  but  little  for  the  cause  in  which  they  were 
fighting,  provided  they  obtained  their  pay  regularly  and 
that  the  rations  were  abundant  and  of  good  quality. 

The  French  infantry  regiments  contained  men  influenced 
by  a  variety  of  motives.  Some  were  professional  soldiers 
who  had  fought  in  many  a  field  during  the  long  wars  that 
had  for  so  many  years  agitated  France,  others  were  the  re 
tainers  of  the  nobles  who  had  thrown  in  their  cause  with 
Henry,  while  others  again  were  Huguenot  peasants  who 
were  fighting,  not  for  pay,  but  in  the  cause  of  their  religion. 

The  cavalry  were  for  the  most  part  composed  of  men  of 
good  family,  relations,  connections,  or  the  superior  vassals 
of  the  nobles  who  commanded  or  officered  them.  The 
king's  own  squadrons  were  chiefly  composed  of  Huguenot 
gentlemen  and  their  mounted  retainers  ;  but  with  these 
rode  many  foreign  volunteers  like  Sir  Ralph  PimperneFs 
party,  attracted  to  Henry's  banner  either  from  a  desire 
to  aid  the  Protestant  cause  or  to  gain  military  knowl 
edge  and  fame  under  so  brave  and  able  a  monarch,  or 
simply  from  the  love  of  excitement  and  military  ardor. 


296  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

The  camp  of  this  main  body  of  cavalry  or  "battalia/* 
as  the  body  on  whom  the  commander  of  our  army  chiefly 
relied  for  victory  was  called,  was  comparatively  still  and 
silent.  The  Huguenot  gentlemen,  after  the  long  years  of 
persecution  to  which  those  of  their  religion  had  been 
exposed,  were  for  the  most  part  poor.  Their  appoint 
ments  were  simple,  and  they  fought  for  conscience'  sake, 
and  went  into  battle  with  the  stern  enthusiasm  that  after 
wards  animated  Cromwell's  Ironsides. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  camp  quieted  down  ;  for  the 
march  had  been  a  long  one,  and  they  would  be  on  their 
feet  by  daybreak.  The  king  himself,  attended  by  Mar 
shals  D'Aumont  and  Birou,  had  gone  through  the  whole 
extent  of  the  camp,  seen  that  all  was  in  order,  that  the 
troops  had  everywhere  received  their  rations,  and  that  the 
officers  were  acquainted  with  the  orders  for  the  morrow. 
He  stayed  a  short  time  in  the  camp  of  each  regiment  and 
troop,  saying  a  few  words  of  encouragement  to  the  sol 
diers,  and  laughing  and  joking  with  the  officers.  He 
paused  a  short  time  and  chatted  with  Sir  Ralph  Pimper 
nel,  who,  at  his  request,  introduced  each  of  his  com 
panions  to  him. 

Lionel  looked  with  interest  and  admiration  at  the  man 
who  was  regarded  as  the  champion  of  Protestantism 
against  Popery,  and  who  combined  in  himself  a  remark 
able  mixture  of  qualities  seldom  found  existing  in  one 
person.  He  was  brave  to  excess  and  apparently  reckless 
in  action,  and  yet  astute,  prudent,  and  calculating  in 
council.  With  a  manner  frank,  open,  and  winning,  he 
was  yet  able  to  match  the  craftiest  of  opponents  at  their 
own  weapons  of  scheming  and  duplicity.  The  idol  of  the 
Huguenots  of  France,  he  was  ready  to  purchase  the  crown 
of  France  at  the  price  of  accepting  the  Catholic  doctrines, 
for  he  saw  that  it  was  hopeless  for  him  in  the  long  run  to 
maintain  himself  against  the  hostility  of  almost  all  the 
great  nobl«*  of  France,  backed  by  the  great  proportion  of 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  297 

the  people  and  aided  by  the  pope  and  the  Catholic  powers, 
so  long  as  he  remained  a  Protestant.  But  this  change  of 
creed  was  scarcely  even  foreseen  by  those  who  followed 
him,  and  it  was  the  apparent  hopelessness  of  his  cause, 
and  the  gallantry  with  which  he  maintained  it,  that  at 
tracted  the  admiration  of  Europe. 

Henry's  capital  was  at  the  time  garrisoned  by  the  troops 
of  the  pope  and  Spain.  The  great  nobles  of  France,  who 
had  long  maintained  a  sort  of  semi-independence  of  the 
crown,  were  all  against  him,  and  were  calculating  on 
founding  independent  kingdoms.  He  himself  was  excom 
municated.  The  League  were  masters  of  almost  the 
whole  of  France,  and  were  well  supplied  with  funds  by  the 
pope  and  the  Catholic  powers,  while  Henry  was  entirely 
dependent  for  money  upon  what  he  could  borrow  from 
Queen  Elizabeth  and  the  States  of  Holland.  But  no  one 
who  listened  to  the  merry  laugh  of  the  king  as  he  chatted 
with  the  little  group  of  English  gentlemen  would  have 
thought  that  he  was  engaged  in  a  desperate  and  well-nigh 
hopeless  struggle,  and  that  the  following  day  was  to  be  a 
decisive  one  as  to  his  future  fortunes. 

"Well,  gentlemen,"  he  said  as  he  turned  his  horse  to 
ride  away,  "  I  must  ask  you  to  lie  down  as  soon  as  possible. 
As  long  as  the  officers  are  awake  and  talking  the  men  can 
not  sleep  ;  and  I  want  all  to  have  a  good  night's  rest. 
The  enemy's  camp  is  close  at  hand,  and  the  battle  is  sure 
to  take  place  at  early  dawn." 

As  the  same  orders  were  given  everywhere,  the  camp 
was  quiet  early,  and  before  daylight  the  troops  were  called 
under  arms  and  ranged  in  the  order  appointed  for  them 
to  fight  in. 

The  army  of  the  League  was  astir  in  equally  good  time. 
In  its  center  was  the  battalia,  composed  of  six  hundred 
splendid  cavalry,  all  noblemen  of  France,  supported  by  a 
column  of  three  hundred  Swiss  and  two  thousand  French 
infantry.  On  the  left  were  six  hundred  French  cuiras- 


298  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

siers  and  the  eighteen  hundred  troops  of  Parma,  com 
manded  by  Count  Egmoiit.  They  were  supported  by  six 
regiments  of  French  and  Lorrainers,  and  two  thousand 
Germans.  The  right  wing  was  composed  of  three  regi 
ments  of  Spanish  lancers,  two  troops  of  Germans,  four 
hundred  cuirassiers,  and  four  regiments  of  infantry. 

When  the  sun  rose  and  lighted  up  the  contending 
armies,  the  difference  between  their  appearance  was  very 
marked.  That  of  the  League  was  gay  with  the  gilded 
armor,  waving  plumes,  and  silken  scarfs  of  the  French 
nobles,  whose  banners  fluttered  brightly  in  the  air,  while 
the  Walloons  and  Flemish  rivaled  their  French  comrades 
in  the  splendor  of  their  appointments.  In  the  opposite 
ranks  there  was  neither  gayety  or  show.  The  Huguenot 
nobles  and  gentlemen,  who  had  for  so  many  years  been 
fighting  for  life  and  religion,  were  clad  in  armor  dinted 
in  a  hundred  battle-fields  ;  and  while  the  nobles  of  the 
League  were  confident  of  the  victory,  and  loud  in  demanding 
to  be  led  against  the  foe,  Henry  of  Navarre  and  his  sol 
diers  were  kneeling,  praying  to  the  God  of  battles  to  enable 
them  to  bear  themselves  well  in  the  coming  fight.  Henry 
of  Xavarre  wore  in  his  helmet  a  snov,--white  plume,  which 
he  ordered  his  troops  to  keep  in  view,  and  to  follow  wher 
ever  they  should  see  it  waving,  in  case  his  banner  went 
down. 

Artillery  still  played  but  a  small  part  in  battles  on  the 
field,  and  there  were  but  twelve  pieces  on  the  ground, 
equally  divided  between  the  two  armies.  These  opened 
the  battle,  and  Count  Egmont,  whose  cavalry  had  suffered 
from  the  fire  of  the  Huguenot  cannon,  ordered  a  charge, 
and  the  splendid  cavalry  of  Parma  swept  down  upon  the 
right  wing  of  Henry.  The  cavalry  under  Marshal  Biron 
were  unable  to  withstand  the  shock  and  were  swept  before 
them,  and  Egmout  rode  on  right  up  to  the  guns  and  sa 
bered  the  artillerymen.  Almost  at  the  same  moment  the 
German  riders  under  Eric  of  Brunswick,  the  Spanish  and 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  ^^ 

French  lancers,  charged  down  upon  the  center  of  the 
Royal  Army.  The  rout  of  the  right  wing  shook  the 
cavalry  in  the  center.  They  wavered,  and  the  infantry  on 
their  flanks  fell  back,  but  the  king  and  his  officers  rode 
among  them,  shouting  and  entreating  them  to  stand  firm. 
The  ground  in  their  front  was  soft  and  checked  the  im 
petuosity  of  the  charge  of  the  Leaguers,  and  by  the  time 
they  reached  the  ranks  of  the  Huguenots  they  were  broken 
and  disordered,  and  could  make  no  impression  whatever 
i;pon  them. 

As  soon  as  the  charge  was  repulsed,  Henry  set  his  troops 
in  motion,  and  the  battalia  charged  down  upon  the  dis 
ordered  cavalry  of  the  League.  The  lancers  and  cuiras 
siers  were  borne  down  by  the  impetuosity  of  the  charge, 
and  Marshal  Biron,  rallying  his  troops,  followed  the  king's 
white  plume  into  the  heart  of  the  battle.  Egmont  brought 
up  the  cavalry  of  Flanders  to  the  scene,  and  was  charging 
at  their  head  when  he  fell  dead  with  a  musket-ball  through 
the  heart.  Brunswick  went  down  in  the  fight,  and  the 
shattered  German  and  Walloon  horse  were  completely 
overthrown  and  cut  to  pieces  by  the  furious  charges  of 
the  Huguenot  cavalry. 

At  one  time  the  victorious  onset  was  checked  by  the 
disappearance  of  the  king's  snow-white  plumes,  and  a  re 
port  ran  through  the  army  that  the  king  was  killed.  They 
wavered  irresolutely.  The  enemy,  regaining  courage  from 
the  cessation  of  their  attacks,  were  again  advancing,  when 
the  king  reappeared  bareheaded  and  covered  with  dust 
and  blood,  but  entirely  unhurt.  He  addressed  a  few 
cneerful  words  to  his  soldiers,  and  again  led  a  charge.  It 
was  irresistible  ;  the  enemy  broke  and  fled  in  the  wildest 
confusion  hotly  pursued  by  the  royalist  cavalry,  while  the 
infantry  of  the  League,  who  had  so  far  taken  no  part 
whatever  in  the  battle,  were  seized  with  a  panic,  threw 
away  their  arms,  and  sought  refuge  in  the  woods  in  their 
rear. 


300  B  Y  ENGLAND ' S  AID. 

Thus  the  battle  was  decided  only  by  the  cavalry,  the 
infantry  taking  no  part  in  the  fight  on  either  side.  Eight 
hundred  of  the  Leaguers  either  fell  on  the  battle-field  or 
were  drowned  in  crossing  the  river  in  their  rear.  The 
loss  of  the  royalists  was  but  one-fourth  that  number.  Had 
the  king  pushed  forward  upon  Paris  immediately  after  the 
battle,  the  city  would  probably  have  surrendered  without 
a  blow  ;  and  the  Huguenot  leaders  urged  this  course  upon 
him.  Biron  and  the  other  Catholics,  however,  argued 
that  it  was  better  to  undertake  a  regular  siege,  and  the 
king  yielded  to  this  advice,  although  the  bolder  course 
would  have  been  far  more  in  accordance  with  his  own 
disposition. 

He  was  probably  influenced  by  a  variety  of  motives.  In 
the  first  place  his  Swiss  mercenaries  were  in  a  mutinous 
condition,  and  refused  to  advance  a  single  foot  unless  they 
received  their  arrears  of  pay,  and  this  Henry,  whose  chests 
were  entirely  empty,  had  no  means  of  providing.  In  the 
second  place  he  was  at  the  time  secretly  in  negotiation 
with  the  pope  for  his  conversion,  and  may  have  feared  to 
give  so  heavy  a  blow  to  the  Catholic  cause  as  would  have 
been  effected  by  the  capture  of  Paris  following  closely 
after  the  victory  of  Ivry.  At  any  rate  he  determined 
upon  a  regular  siege.  Moving  forward  lie  seized  the 
towns  of  Lagny  on  the  Marne,  and  Corbeil  on  the  Seine, 
thus  entirely  cutting  off  the  food  supply  of  Paris. 

Lionel  Vickars  had  borne  his  part  in  the  charges  of  the 
Huguenot  cavalry,  but  as  the  company  to  which  he  be 
longed  was  in  the  rear  of  the  battalia,  he  had  no  personal 
encounters  with  the  enemy. 

After  the  advance  towards  Paris  the  duties  of  the  cavalry 
consisted  entirely  in  scouting  the  country,  sweeping  in 
provisions  for  their  own  army,  and  preventing  supplies 
from  entering  Paris.  No  siege  operations  were  under 
taken,  the  king  relying  upon  famine  alone  to  reduce  the 
city.  Its  population  at  the  time  the  siege  commenced  wa* 


B  Y  ENGLAND '  5  AID.  301 

estimated  at  400,000,  and  the  supply  of  provisions  to  be 
^sufficient  for  a  month.  It  was  calculated  therefore  that 
before  the  League  could  bring  up  another  army  to  its 
relief,  it  must  fall  by  famine. 

But  no  allowance  had  been  made  for  the  religious  en 
thusiasm  and  devotion  to  the  cause  of  the  League  that 
animated  the  population  of  Paris.  Its  governor,  the  Duke 
of  Nemours,  brother  of  Mayenne,  aided  by  the  three 
Spanish  delegates,  the  Cardinal  Gaetauo,  and  by  an  army 
of  priests  and  monks,  sustained  the  spirits  of  the  popula 
tion  ;  and  though  the  people  starved  by  thousands,  the 
city  resisted  until  towards  the  end  of  August.  In  that 
month  the  army  of  the  League,  united  with  twelve  thou 
sand  foot  and  three  thousand  horse  from  the  Netherlands 
under  Parma  himself,  advanced  to  its  assistance  ;  while 
Maurice  of  Holland,  with  a  small  body  of  Dutch  troops 
and  reinforcements  from  England,  had  strengthened  the 
army  of  the  king. 

The  numbers  of  the  two  armies  were  not  unequal. 
Many  of  the  French  nobles  had  rallied  round  Henry  after 
his  victory,  and  of  his  cavalry  four  thousand  were  nobles 
and  their  retainers  who  served  at  their  own  expense,  and 
Avere  eager  for  a  battle.  Parma  himself  had  doubts  as  to 
the  result  of  the  conflict.  He  could  rely  upon  the  troops 
he  himself  had  brought,  but  had  no  confidence  in  those  of 
the  League ;  and  when  Henry  sent  him  a  formal  challenge 
to  a  general  engagement,  Parma  replied  that  it  was  hi.; 
custom  to  refuse  a  combat  when  a  refusal  seemed  advan 
tageous  for  himself,  and  to  offer  battle  whenever  it  suited 
his  purpose  to  fight. 

For  seven  days  the  two  armies,  each  some  twenty-five 
thousand  strong,  lay  within  a  mile  or  two  of  each  other. 
Then  the  splendid  cavalry  of  Parma  moved  out  in  order  of 
battle,  with  banners  flying,  and  the  pennons  of  the  lances 
fluttering  in  the  wind.  The  king  was  delighted  when  he 
saw  that  the  enemy  were  at  last  advancing  to  the  fight. 


'J02  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

He  put  his  troops  at  once  under  arms,  but  waited  until 
the  plan  of  the  enemy's  battle  developed  itself  before 
making  his  dispositions.  But  while  the  imposing  array  of 
cavalry  was  attracting  the  kiug's  attention,  Parma  moved 
off  with  the  main  body  of  his  army,  threw  a  division  across 
the  river  on  a  pontoon  bridge,  and  attacked  Lagny  on  both 
sides. 

When  Lagny  was  first  occupied  some  of  Sir  Ealph  Pim 
pernel's  party  were  appointed  to  take  up  their  quarters 
there,  half  a  company  of  the  English,  who  had  come  with 
them  from  Holland,  were  also  stationed  in  the  town,  the 
garrison  being  altogether  1200  strong.  Lionel's  horse  had 
received  a  bullet  wound  at  Ivry,  and  although  it  carried 
him  for  the  next  day  or  two,  it  was  evident  that  it  needed 
rest  and  attention,  and  would  be  unfit  to  carry  his  rider 
for  some  time.  Lionel  had  no  liking  for  the  work  01 
driving  off  the  cattle  of  the  unfortunate  landowners  and 
peasants,  however  necessary  it  might  be  to  keep  the  army 
supplied  with  food,  and  was  glad  of  the  excuse  that  his 
wounded  horse  afforded  him  for  remaining  quietly  in  the 
town  when  his  comrades  rode  out  with  the  troop  of  cavalry 
stationed  there. 

It  happened  that  the  officer  in  command  of  the  little 
body  of  English  infantry  was  taken  ill  with  fever,  and  Sir 
Ralph  Pimpernel  requested  Lionel  to  take  his  place.  This 
he  was  glad  to  do,  as  he  was  more  at  home  at  infantry 
work  than  with  cavalry.  The  time  went  slowly,  but 
Lionel,  who  had  comfortable  quarters  in  the  house  of  a 
citizen,  did  not  find  it  long.  The  burgher's  family  con 
sisted  of  his  wife  and  two  daughters,  and  these  congratu 
lated  themselves  greatly  upon  having  an  officer  quartered 
upon  them  who  not  only  acted  as  a  protection  to  them 
against  the  insolence  of  the  rough  soldiery,  but  was 
courteous  and  pleasant  in  his  manner,  and  tried  in  every 
way  to  show  that  he  regarded  himself  as  a  guest  and  not  a 
master. 


B  T  ENG^A  ND '  8  AID.  303 

After  the  first  week's  stay  he  requested  that  instead  of 
having  his  meals  served  to  him  in  a  room  apart  he  might 
take  them  with  the  family.  The  girls  were  about  Lionel's 
age,  and  atter  the  first  constraint  wore  off  he  became  great 
friends  with  them  ;  and  although  at  first  he  had  difficulty 
in  making  himself  understood,  he  rapidly  picked  up  a 
little  French,  the  girls  acting  as  his  teachers. 

"  What  do  you  English  do  here  ?  "  the  eldest  of  them 
asked  him  when  six  weeks  after  his  arrival  they  were  able 
to  converse  fairly  in  a  mixture  of  French  and  Spanish. 
"  Why  do  you  not  leave  us  French  people  to  fight  out  our 
quarrels  by  ourselves  ?  " 

"  I  should  put  it  the  other  way,"  Lionel  laughed.  "  Why 
don't  you  French  people  fight  out  your  quarrels  among 
yourselves  instead  of  calling  in  foreigners  to  help  you  ?  It 
is  because  the  Guises  and  the  League  have  called  in  the 
Spaniards  to  fight  on  the  Catholic  side  that  the  English 
and  Dutch  have  come  to  help  the  Huguenots.  We  are 
fighting  the  battle  of  our  own  religion  here,  not  the  battle 
of  Henry  of  Navarre." 

"I  hate  these  wars  of  religion,"  the  girl  said.  "Why 
can  we  not  all  worship  in  our  own  way  ?" 

"  Ah,  that  is  what  we  Protestants  want  to  know,  Made 
moiselle  Claire  ;  that  is  just  what  your  people  won't  allow. 
Did  you  not  massacre  the  Protestants  in  France  on  the  eve 
of  St.  Bartholomew  ?  and  have  not  the  Spaniards  been  for 
the  last  twenty  years  trying  to  stamp  out  with  fire  and 
sword  the  new  religion  in  the  Low  Countries  ?  We  only 
want  to  be  left  alone." 

"  But  your  queen  of  England  kills  the  Catholics." 

"  Not  at  all,"  Lionel  said  warmly  ;  <e  that  is  only  one  of 
the  stories  they  spread  to  excuse  their  own  doings.  It  is 
true  that  Catholics  in  England  have  been  put  to  death, 
and  so  have  people  of  the  sect  that  call  themselves  Ana 
baptists  ;  but  this  has  been  because  they  had  been  engaged 
in  plots  against  the  queen,  and  not,  because  ^f  *h*ir  re- 


804  BY  ENGLAND'S  A  ID. 

ligion.  The  Catholics  of  England  for  the  most  part 
joined  as  heartily  as  the  Protestants  in  the  preparations  for 
the  defense  of  England  in  the  time  of  the  Armada.  For 
my  part,  I  cannot  understand  why  people  should  quarrel 
with  each  other  because  they  worship  God  in  different 
ways." 

"It  is  all  yery  bad,  I  am  sure,"  the  girl  said  ;  "  France 
has  been  torn  to  pieces  by  these  religious  wars  for  years 
and  years.  It  is  dreadful  to  think  what  they  must  be  suf 
fering  in  Paris  now." 

"  Then  why  don't  they  open  their  gates  to  King  Henry 
instead  of  starving  themselves  at  the  orders  of  the  legate 
of  the  pope  and  the  agent  of  Philip  of  Spain  ?  I  could 
understand  if  there  was  another  French  prince  whom  they 
wanted  as  king  instead  of  Henry  of  Navarre.  We  fought 
for  years  in  England  as  to  whether  we  would  have  a  king 
from  the  house  of  York  or  the  house  of  Lancaster,  but 
when  it  comes  to  choosing  between  a  king  of  your  own 
race  and  a  king  named  for  you  by  Philip  of  Spain,  I  can't 
understand  it." 

"  Never  mind,  Master  Vickars.  You  know  what  you 
are  fighting  for,  don't  you  ?  " 

"  I  do  ;  I  am  fighting  here  to  aid  Holland.  Parma  is 
bringing  all  his  troops  to  aid  the  Guises  here,  and  while 
they  are  away  the  Dutch  will  take  town  after  town,  and 
will  make  themselves  so  strong  that  when  Parma  goes  back 
he  will  find  the  nut  harder  than  ever  to  crack." 

"  How  long  will  Paris  hold  out,  think  you,  Master 
Vickars  ?  They  say  that  provisions  are  well-nigh  spent." 

"  Judging  from  the  way  in  which  the  Dutch  towns  held 
on  for  weeks  and  weeks  after,  as  it  seemed,  all  supplies 
were  exhausted,  I  should  say  that  if  the  people  of  Paris  are 
as  ready  to  suffer  rather  than  yield  as  were  the  Dutch 
burghers,  they  may  hold  on  for  along  time  yet.  It  is  cer 
tain  that  no  provisions  can  come  to  them  as  long  as  we  hold 
possession  of  this  town,  and  so  block  the  river." 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AIL.  305 

"  But  if  the  armies  of  Parma  and  the  League  conie  they 
may  drive  you  away,  Master  Vickars." 

"  It  is  quite  possible,  mademoiselle;  we  do  not  pretend 
to  be  invincible,  but  I  think  there  will  be  some  tough  fight 
ing  first." 

As  the  weeks  went  on  Lionel  Vickars  came  to  be  on  very 
intimate  terms  with  the  family.  The  two  maid-servants 
shared  in  the  general  liking  for  the  young  officer.  He 
gave  no  more  trouble  than  if  he  were  one  of  the  family, 
and  on  one  or  two  occasions  when  disturbances  were  caused 
by  the  ill-conduct  of  the  miscellaneous  bands  which  con 
stituted  the  garrison,  he  brought  his  half  company 
of  English  soldiers  at  once  into  the  house,  and  by 
his  resolute  attitude  prevented  the  marauders  from  enter-* 
ing. 

When  Parma's  army  approached  Sir  Ralph  Pimpernel 
with  the  cavalry  joined  the  king,  but  Lionel  shared  in  the 
disappointment  felt  by  all  the  infantry  of  the  garrison  of 
Lagny  that  they  could  take  no  share  in  the  great  battle 
that  was  expected.  Their  excitement  rose  high  while  the 
armies  lay  watching  each  other.  From  the  position  of  the 
town  down  by  the  river  neither  army  was  visible  from  its 
walls,  and  they  only  learned  when  occasional  messengers 
rode  in  how  matters  were  going  on.  One  morning  Lionel 
was  awoke  by  a  loud  knocking  at  his  door.  "  What  is  it  ?  " 
he  shouted,  as  he  sat  up  in  bed. 

"  It  is  I — Timothy  Short,  Master  Vickars.  The  sergeant 
has  sent  me  to  wake  you  in  all  haste.  The  Spaniards  have 
stolen  a  march  upon  us.  They  have  thrown  a  bridge  across 
the  river  somewhere  in  the  night,  and  most  all  their  army 
stands  between  us  and  the  king,  while  a  division  are  pre 
paring  to  besiege  the  town  on  the  other  side."  Lionel  was 
hastily  throwing  on  his  clothes  and  arming  himself  while 
the  man  was  speaking. 

"Tell  the  sergeant,"  he  said,  "  to  get  the  men  under 
arms.  I  will  be  with  him  in  a  few  minutes." 

70 


306  B F  ENGLAND ' S  AID. 

When  Lionel  went  out  he  found  that  the  household  was 
already  astir. 

"  Go  not  out  fasting/*'  his  host  said.  "  Take  a  cup  of 
wine  and  some  food  before  you  start.  You  may  be  some 
time  before  you  get  am  opportunity  of  eating  again  if  what 
they  say  is  true." 

' '  Thank  you  heartily/'  Lionel  replied  as  he  sat  down  to 
the  table,  on  which  some  food  had  already  been  placed  ; 
"it  is  always  better  to  fight  full  than  fasting." 

"  Hark  you  !  "  the  bourgeois  said  in  his  ear  ;  "  if  things 
go  badly  with  you  make  your  way  here.  I  have  a  snug 
hiding-place,  and  I  shall  take  refuge  there  with  my  family 
if  the  Spaniards  capture  the  town.  I  have  heardjof  their 
doings  in  Holland,  and  that  when  they  capture  a  town  they 
spare  neither  age  nor  sex,  and  slay  Catholics  as  well  as  Prot 
estants  ;  therefore  I  shall  take  refuge  till  matters  have 
quieted  down  and  order  is  restored.  I  shall  set  to  work 
at  once  to  carry  my  valuables  there,  and  a  goodly  store  of 
provisions.  My  warehouseman  will  remain  in  charge  above. 
He  is  faithful  and  can  be  trusted,  and  he  will  tell  the  Span 
iards  that  I  am  a  good  Catholic,  and  lead  them  to  believe 
that  I  fled  with  my  family  before  the  Huguenots  entered 
the  town. 

"  Thank  you  greatly,"  Lionel  replied  ;  "  should  the  need 
arise  I  will  take  advantage  of  your  kind  offer.  But  it 
should  not  do  so.  We  have  twelve  hundred  men  here,  and 
half  that  number  of  citizens  have  kept  the  Spaniards  at 
bay  for  months  before  towns  no  stronger  than  this  in  Hol 
land.  We  ought  to  be  able  to  dei^nd  ourselves  here  for 
weeks,  and  the  king  will  assuredly  come  to  our  relief  in 
two  or  three  days  at  the  outside." 

Upon  Lionel  sallying  out  he  found  the  utmost  confusion 
and  disorder  reigning.  The  commandant  was  hurriedly 
assigning  to  the  various  companies  composing  the  garrison 
their  places  upon  the  walls.  Many  of  the  soldiers  were 
exclaiming  that  they  had  been  betrayed,  and  that  it  were 


B  T  ENGLAND '  3  AID.  807 

be«t  to  make  terms  with  the  Spaniards  at  once.  The 
^difference  between  the  air  of  quiet  resolution  that  marked 
the  conduct  of  the  people  and  troops  at  Sluys  and  the  ex 
citement  manifested  here  struck  Lionel  unpleasantly. 
The  citizens  all  remained,  in  their  houses,  afraid  lest  the 
exultation  they  felt  at  the  prospect  of  deliverance  would 
be  so  marked  as  to  enrage  the  soldiery.  Lionel's  own 
company  was  standing  quietly  and  in  good  order  in  the 
market-place,  and  as  soon  as  he  received  orders  as  to  the 
point  that  he  sliould  occupy  on  the  walls  Lionel  marched 
them  away. 

Iii  half  an  hour  the  Spanish  batteries,  which  had  been 
erected  during  the  night,  opened  fire  upon  several  points 
of  the  walls.  The  town  was  ill  provided  with  artillery, 
and  the  answer  was  feeble,  and  before  evening  several 
breaches  had  been  effected,  two  of  the  gates  blown  in,  and 
the  Spaniards  advanced  to  the  assault.  Lionel  and  his 
company,  with  one  composed  of  Huguenot  gentlemen  and 
their  retainers  and  another  of  Germans,  defended  the  gate 
at  which  they  were  posted  with  great  bravery,  and  succeeded 
in  repulsing  the  attacks  of  the  Spaniards  time  after  time. 
The  latter  pressed  forward  in  heavy  column,  only  to  recoil 
broken  and  shattered  from  the  archway,  which  was  filled 
high  with  their  dead.  The  defenders  had  just  succeeded 
in  repulsing  the  last  of  these  attacks,  when  some  soldiers 
ran  by  -shouting  "  All  is  lost,  the  Spaniards  have  entered 
the  town  at  three  points  !  " 

The  German  company  at  once  disbanded  and  scattered. 
The  Huguenot  noble  Said  to  Lionel  :  "  I  fear  that  the 
news  is  true ;  listen  to  the  shouts  and  the  cries  in  the 
town  behind  us.  I  will  march  with  my  men  and  see  if 
there  is  any  chance  of  beating  back  the  Spaniards  ;  if  not 
it  were  best  to  lay  down  our  arms  and  ask  for  quarter. 
Will  you  try  to  hold  this  gate  until  I  return  ?" 

"I  will  do  so, "  Lionel  said;  "  but  I  have  only  about 


308  B  T  ENGLAND '  S  AID. 

thirty  men  left,  and  if  the  Spaniards  come  on  again  we 
cannot  hope  to  repulse  them/' 

"  If  I  am  not  back  in  ten  minutes  it  will  be  because  all 
all  is  lost,"  the  Huguenot  said  ;  "  and  you  had  then  best 
save  yourself  as  you  can." 

But  long  before  the  ten  minutes  passed  crowds  of  fugitives 
Tan  past,  and  Lionel  learned  that  great  numbers  of  the 
enemy  had  entered,  and  that  they  were  refusing  quarter 
and  slaying  all  they  met. 

It  is  useless  to  stay  here  longer  to  be  massacred,"  he 
said  to  his  men.  "  I  should  advise  you  to  take  refuge 
in  the  churches,  leaving  your  arms  behind  you  as  you  enter. 
It  is  evident  that  further  resistance  is  useless,  and  would 
only  cost  us  our  lives.  The  Spaniards  are  twenty  to  one, 
and  it  is  evident  that  all  hope  of  resistance  is  at  an  end." 
The  men  were  only  too  glad  to  accept  the  advice,  and, 
throwing  down  their  arms,  hurried  away.  Lionel  sheathed 
his  sword,  and  with  the  greatest  difficulty  made  his  way 
through  the  scene  of  wild  confusion  to  the  house  where  he 
had  lodged.  The  doors  of  most  of  the  houses  were  fast 
closed,  and  the  inhabitants  were  hurling  down  missiles  of 
all  kinds  from  the  upper  windows  upon  their  late  masters. 
The  triumphant  shouts  of  the  Spaniards  rose  loud  in  the  air, 
mingled  with  despairing  cries  and  the  crack  of  firearms. 
Lionel  had  several  narrow  escapes  from  the  missiles 
thrown  from  the  windows  and  roofs,  but  reached  the 
house  of  the  merchant  safely.  The  door  was  half  opened. 

"  Thanks  be  to  heaven  that  you  have  come.  I  had  well- 
nigh  given  you  up,  and  in  another  minute  should  have 
closed  the  door.  The  women  are  all  below,  but  I  waited 
until  the  last  minute  for  you." 

Barring  the  door  Lionel's  host  led  the  way  downstairs 
into  a  great  cellar,  which  served  as  a  warehouse,  and  ex 
tended  under  the  whole  house.  He  made  his  way  through 
the  boxes  and  bales  to  the  darkest  corner  of  the  great 
ceEar-  Here  he  pulled  up  a  flag  and  showed  another 


B  Y  ENGLAND '  S  AID.  309 

narrow  stair,  at  the  bottom  of  which  a  torch  was  burning. 
Bidding  Lionel  descend  he  followed  him,  lowered  the  flag 
behind  him,  and  then  led  the  way  along  a  narrow  passage, 
at  the  end  of  which  was  a  door.  Opening  it  Lionel  found 
himself  in  an  arched  chamber.  Two  torches  were  burning, 
aud  the  merchant's  wife  and  daughters  and  the  two  female 
domestics  were  assembled.  There  was  a  general  exclama 
tion  of  gladness  as  Lionel  entered. 

"We  have  been  greatly  alarmed,"  the  mercer's  wife 
said,  "  lest  you  should  not  be  able  to  gain  the  house, 
Master  Vickars  ;  for  we  heard  that  the  Spaniards  are  broken 
in  at  several  points." 

"  It  was  fortunately  at  the  other  end  of  the  town  to  that 
at  which  I  was  stationed,"  Lionel  said  ;  "  and  I  was  just  in 
time.  You  have  a  grand  hiding-place  here.  It  looks  like 
the  crypt  of  a  church." 

"  That  is  just  what  it  is/'  the  mercer  said.  "  It  was  the 
church  of  a  monastery  that  stood  here  a  hundred  years  ago. 
The  monks  then  moved  into  a  grander  place  in  Paris,  and 
the  monastery  and  church  which  adjoined  our  house  were 
pulled  down  and  houses  erected  upon  the  site.  My  grand 
father,  knowing  of  the  existence  of  the  crypt,  thought  that 
it  might  afford  a  rare  hiding-place  in  case  of  danger,  and 
had  the  passage  driven  from  his  cellar  into  it.  Its  ex 
istence  could  never  be  suspected  ;  for  as  our  cellar  extends 
over  the  whole  of  our  house,  as  can  easily  be  seen,  none  would? 
suspect  that  there  was  a  hiding-place  without  our  walls. 
There  are  three  or  four  chambers  as  large  as  this.  One  of 
them  is  stored  with  all  my  choicest  silks  and  velvets, 
another  will  serve  as  a  chamber  for  you  and  me.  I  have 
enough  provisions  for  a  couple  of  months,  and  even  should 
they  burji  the  house  down  we  are  safe  enough  here," 


310  B  T  ENGLAND '  5  AID. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

STEENWYK. 

THREE  days  passed,  and  then  a  slight  noise  was  heard 
as  of  the  trap-door  being  raised.  Lionel  drew  his  sword. 

l{  It  is  my  servant,  no  doubt/'  the  merchant  said  ;  "  he 
promised  to  come  and  tell  me  how  things  went  as  soon  as 
he  could  get  an  opportunity  to  come  down  unobserved. 
We  should  hear  more  noise  if  it  were  the  Spaniards." 
Taking  a  light  he  went  along  the  passage,  and  returned 
immediately  afterwards  followed  by  his  man  ;  the  latter 
had  his  head  bound  up,  and  carried  his  arm  in  a  sling. 
An  exclamation  of  pity  broke  from  the  ladies. 

"  You  are  badly  hurt,  Jacques.     TThat  has  happened  ?  " 

"  It  is  well  it  is  no  worse,  mistress/'  he  replied.  "  The 
Spaniards  are  fiends,  and  behaved  as  if  they  were  sacking 
a  city  of  Dutch  Huguenots  instead  of  entering  a  town  in 
habited  by  friends.  For  an  hour  or  two  they  cut  and 
slashed,  pillaged  and  robbed.  They  came  rushing  into  the 
shop,  and  before  I  could  say  a  word  one  run  me  through 
the  shoulder  and  another  laid  my  head  open.  It  was  an 
hour  or  two  before  I  came  to  my  senses.  I  found  the 
house  turned  topsy-turvy ;  everything  worth  taking  had 
gone,  and  what  was  not  taken  was  damaged.  I  tied  up  my 
head  and  arms  as  best  I  could,  and  then  sat  quiet  in  a 
corner  till  the  din  outside  began  to  subside.  The  officers 
did  theL"  best,  I  hear,  and  at  last  got  the  men  into  order. 
Numbers  of  the  townsfolk  had  been  killed,  and  every  ouo 
of  the  garrison  was  butchered.  I  tell  you,  mistress,  it  ib 
better  to  have  ten  Huguenot  armies  in  possession  one  after 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  311 

another  than  one  Spanish  force,  though  the  latter  come  as 
^friends  and  co-religionists.  Well,  as  soon  as  things  quieted 
down  the  soldiers  were  divided  among  the  houses  of  the 
townsfolk,  and  we  have  a  sergeant  and  ten  men  quartered 
above  ;  but  half  an  hour  ago  they  were  called  away  on 
some  duty,  and  I  took  the  opportunity  to  steal  down  here." 

"  Have  you  told  them  that  we  were  away,  Jacques  ?  " 

"No,  monsieur  ;  no  one  has  asked  me  about  it.  They 
saw  by  the  pictures  and  shrines  that  you  were  good  Catholics, 
and  after  the  first  outburst  they  have  left  things  alone. 
But  if  it  is  not  too  dreary  for  the  ladies  here,  I  should  ad 
vise  you  to  wait  for  a  time  and  see  how  things  go  before 
you  show  yourselves." 

"'  That  is  my  opinion  too,  Jacques.  We  can  wait  here 
for  another  two  months  if  need  be.  Doubtless,  unless  the 
Huguenots  show  signs  of  an  intention  to  attack  the  town, 
only  a  small  garrison  will  be  left  here,  and  it  may  bo  that 
those  in  our  house  will  be  withdrawn/* 

"  Do  you  think  it  will  be  possible  for  me  to  make  nv- 
escape,  Jacques  ?  "  Lionel  asked. 

"  I  should  think  so,  sir.  Ever  since  the  Spaniards 
entered  the  town  boats  with  provisions  for  Paris  have  been 
coming  along  in  great  numbers.  From  what  I  hear  the 
soldiers  say  there  is  no  chance  of  a  battle  at  present,  for 
the  Huguenot  army  have  drawn  off  to  ,a  distance,  seeing 
that  Paris  is  revictualled  and  that  there  is  no  chance  oi* 
taking  it.  They  say  that  numbers  of  the  French  lords 
with  the  Huguenot  army  have  drawn  off  and  are  making 
for  their  homes.  At  any  rate  there  is  no  fear  of  an  attack 
here,  and  the  gates  stand  open  all  day.  Numbers  of  the 
townsfolk  have  been  to  Paris  to  see  friends  there,  and  I 
should  say  that  if  you  had  a  disguise  you  could  puss  out 
easily  enough." 

The  question  was  discussed  for  some  time.  Lionel  was 
very  anxious  to  rejoin  the  army,  and  it  was  finally  settled 
that  Jacques  should  the  next  night  bring  him  down  a  suit 


312  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

of  his  own  clothes,  and  the  first  time  the  soldiers  were  ah 
away  should  fetch  him  out,  accompany  him  through  the 
gates  of  the  town,  and  act  as  his  guide  as  far  as  he  could. 

The  next  night  Lionel  received  the  clothes.  Two  days 
later  Jacques  came  down  early  in  the  morning  to  say  that 
the  soldiers  above  had  just  gone  out  on  duty.  Lionel  at 
once  assumed  his  disguise,  and  with  the  heartiest  thanks 
for  the  great  service  they  had  rendered  him  took  his  leave 
of  the  kind  merchant  and  his  family.  Jacques  was  charged 
to  accompany  him  as  far  as  possible,  and  to  set  him  well 
on  his  way  towards  the  Huguenot  army,  for  Lionel's  small 
knowledge  of  French  would  be  detected  by  the  first  person 
who  accosted  him.  On  going  out  into  the  street  Lionel 
found  that  there  were  many  peasants  who  had  come  in  to 
sell  fowls,  eggs,  and  vegetables  in  the  town,  and  he  and 
Jacques  passed  without  a  question  through  the  gates. 

Jacques  had,  the  evening  before,  ascertained  from  the 
soldiers  the  position  of  Parma's  army.  A  long  detour  had 
to  be  made,  and  it  was  two  days  before  they  came  in  sight 
of  the  tents  of  Henry's  camp.  They  had  observed  the 
greatest  precautions  on  their  way,  and  had  only  once  fallen 
in  with  a  troop  of  Parma's  cavalry.  These  had  asked  no 
questions,  supposing  that  Jacques  and  his  companion  were 
making  their  way  from  Paris  to  visit  their  friends  after  the 
siege,  there  being  nothing  in  their  attire  to  attract  attention, 
still  less  suspicion.  The  peasants  they  met  on  their  way 
eagerly  demanded  news  from  Paris,  but  Jacques  easily  sat 
isfied  them  by  saying  that  they  had  had  a  terrible  time, 
and  that  many  had  died  of  hunger,  but  that  now  that  the 
river  was  open  again  better  times  had  come.  When  within 
a  couple  of  miles  of  the  army  Jacques  said  good-bye  to 
Lionel,  who  would  have  rewarded  him  handsomely  for  his 
guidance,  but  Jacques  would  not  accept  money. 

•'  You  are  the  master's  guest,"  he  said,  "  and  you  saved 
his  house  from  plunder  when  your  people  were  in  posses 
sion.  He  and  my  mistress  would  never  forgive  me  if  I 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  313 

took  money  from  you.  I  ana  well  content  in  having  been 
*able  to  assist  so  kind  a  young  gentleman." 

When  Lionel  arrived  at  the  camp  he  soon  found  his  way 
to  Sir  Ralph  Pimpernel's  tent,  where  he  was  received  as 
one  from  the  dead.  There  was  no  difficulty  in  providing 
himself  again  with  armor  and  arms,  for  of  these  there  were 
abundance — the  spoils  of  Ivry — in  the  camp.  When  he 
was  reclothed  and  rearmed  Sir  Ralph  took  him  to  the  king's 
tent,  and  from  him  Henry  learned  for  the  first  time  the 
circumstances  that  had  attended  the  capture  of  Lagny. 

"  And  so  they  put  the  whole  garrison  to  the  sword,"  the 
king  said  with  indignation.  "  I  will  make  any  Spaniards 
that  fall  in  my  hands  pay  dearly  for  it ! " 

Henry  had  indeed  been  completely  out-generaled  by  his 
opponent.  While  he  had  been  waiting  with  his  army  for 
a  pitched  battle  Parma  had  invested  Lagny,  and  there 
were  no  means  of  relieving  it  except  by  crossing  the  river 
in  the  face  of  the  whole  army  of  the  enemy,  an  enterprise 
impossible  of  execution.  As  soon  as  Lagny  had  fallen 
provisions  and  ammunition  were  at  once  poured  into  Paris, 
two  thousand  boat-loads  arriving  in  a  single  day. 

King  Henry's  army  immediately  fell  to  pieces.  The  cav 
alry  having  neither  food  nor  forage  rode  off  by  hundreds 
every  day,  and  in  a  week  but  two  thousand  out  of  his  six 
thousand  horse  remained  with  him.  The  infantry  also, 
seeing  now  no  hope  of  receiving  their  arrears  of  pay,  die- 
banded  in  large  numbers  and  after  an  unsuccessful  attempt 
',o  carry  Paris  by  a  night  attack,  the  king  fell  back  with 
the  remnant  of  his  force.  Corbeil  was  assaulted  and  cap 
tured  by  Parma,  and  the  two  great  rivers  of  Paris  were 
now  open. 

If  Parma  could  have  remained  with  his  army  in  France, 
the  cause  of  Henry  of  Navarre  would  have  been  lost. 
But  sickness  was  making  ravages  among  his  troops.  Dis 
sensions  broke  out  between  the  Spaniards,  Italians,  and 
Netherlanders  of  his  army  and  their  French  allies,  who 


314  B  T  ENGLA  ND '  S  A  ID. 

hated  the  foreigners,  though  they  had  come  to  their  assist 
ance.  Lastly,  his  presence  was  urgently  required  in  the 
Netherlands,  where  his  work  was  as  far  from  being  done 
as  ever.  Therefore  to  the  dismay  of  the  Leaguers  he 
started  early  in  November  on  his  march  back. 

No  sooner  did  he  retire  than  the  king  took  the  field 
again,  recaptured  Lagny  and  Corbeil,  and  recommenced 
the  siege  of  Paris,  while  his  cavalry  hung  upon  the  rear 
and  flanks  of  Parma's  army  and  harassed  them  continually, 
until  they  crossed  the  frontier,  where  the  duke  found  that 
affairs  had  not  improved  during  his  absence. 

Lionel  had  obtained  permission  to  accompany  the  force 
which  captured  Lagii}'.  and  as  soon  as  they  entered  the 
town  hurried  to  the  mercer's  house.  He  found  Jacques 
in  possession,  and  learned  that  the  family  had  weeks  before 
left  the  crypt  and  reoccupied  the  house,  but  had  again 
taken  refuge  there  vrhen  the  Huguenots  attacked  the  town. 
Lionel  at  once  went  below,  and  was  received  with  delight. 
He  was  now  able  to  repay  to  some  extent  the  obligations 
he  had  received  from  them,  by  protecting  them  from  all 
interference  by  the  new  captors  of  the  town,  from  whom 
the  majority  of  the  citizens  received  harsh  treatment  for 
the  part  they  had  taken  in  attacking  the  garrison  when  the 
Spaniards  first  entered. 

Prince  Maurice's  visit  to  the  camp  of  Henry  had  been 
but  a  short  one  ;  and  as  soon  as  Parma  had  effected  the  re 
lief  of  Paris,  and  there  was  no  longer  a  chance  of  a  great 
battle  being  fought,  he  returned  to  Holland,  followed  after 
the  recapture  of  Lagny  by  Sir  Ralph  Pimpernel  and  the 
few  survivors  of  his  party,  who  were  all  heartily  weary  of 
the  long  period  of  inaction  that  had  followed  the  victory 
at  Ivry. 

They  found  that  during  their  absence  there  had  been 
little  doing  in  the  Netherlands,  save  that  Sir  Francis  Vere, 
with  a  small  body  of  English  infantry  and  cavalry,  had 
stormed  some  formidable  works  the  Spaniards  had  thrown 


£  Y  ENGLAND ' 8  AID.  B  J6 

np  to  prevent  relief  being  given  to  Recklinghausen,  which 
\hey  were  besieging.  He  effected  the  relief  of  the  town 
and  drove  oft  the  besiegers.  He  then  attacked  and  cap 
tured  a  fort  on  the  bank  of  the  Rhine,  opposite  the  town 
af  Wesel. 

At  the  end  of  the  year  1590  there  were,  including  th» 
garrisons,  some  eight  thousand  English  infantry  and  cav 
alry  in  Holland,  and  the  year  that  followed  was  to  see  a 
great  change  in  the  nature  of  the  war.  The  efforts  of 
Prince  Maurice  to  improve  his  army  were  to  bear  effect, 
and  with  the  assistance  of  his  English  allies  he  was  to 
commence  an  active  offensive  war,  to  astonish  his  foes  by 
the  rapidity  with  which  he  maneuvered  the  new  fighting 
machine  he  had  created,  and  to  commence  a  new  depart 
ure  in  the  tactics  of  war. 

In  May  he  took  the  field,  requesting  Vere  to  co-operate 
with  him  in  the  siege  of  Zutphen.  But  Sir  Francis  deter 
mined  in  the  first  pla^~  to  capture  on  his  own  account  the 
Zutphen  forts  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  since  these 
had  been  lost  by  the  treachery  of  Roland  Yorke.  He 
dressed  up  a  score  of  soldiers,  some  as  peasants,  others  as 
countrywomen,  and  provided  them  with  baskets  of  eggs 
and  other  provisions.  At  daybreak  these  went  down  by 
twos  and  threes  to  the  Zutphen  ferry,  as  if  waiting  to  be 
taken  across  to  the  town  ;  and  while  waiting  for  the  boat 
to  come  across  for  them,  they  sat  down  near  the  gate  of 
the  fort. 

A  few  minutes  later  a  party  of  English  cavalry  were 
seen  riding  rapidly  towards  the  fort.  The  pretended 
country  people  sprang  to  their  feet,  and  with  cries  of  alarm 
ran  towards  it  for  shelter.  The  gates  were  thrown  open 
to  allow  them  to  enter.  As  they  ran  in  they  drew  out  the 
arms  concealed  under  their  clothes  and  overpowered  the 
guard.  The  cavalry  dashed  up  and  entered  the  gate  be 
fore  the  garrison  could  assemble,  and  the  fort  was  cap 
tured. 


316  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

Vere  at  once  began  to  throw  up  his  batteries  for  the 
attack  upon  the  town  across  the  river,  and  the  prince  in 
vested  the  city  on  the  other  side.  So  diligently  did  the 
besiegers  work  that  before  a  week  had  passed  after  the 
surprise  of  the  fort  the  batteries  were  completed,  thirty- 
two  guns  placed  in  position,  and  the  garrison,  seeing 
there  was  no  hope  of  relief,  surrendered. 

On  the  very  day  of  taking  possession  of  the  town,  the 
allies,  leaving  a  garrison  there,  marched  against  Deventer, 
seren  miles  down  the  river,  and  within  five  days  had  in 
vested  the  place,  and  opened  their  batteries  upon  the 
weakest  part  of  the  town.  A  breach  was  effected,  and  a 
storm  was  ordered.  A  dispute  arose  between  the  English, 
Scotch,  and  Dutch  troops  as  to  who  should  have  the  honor 
of  leading  the  assault.  Prince  Maurice  decided  in  favor 
of  the  English,  in  order  that  they  might  have  an  oppor 
tunity  of  wiping  out  the  stigma  on  the  national  honor 
caused  by  the  betrayal  of  Deventer  by  the  traitor  Sir 
William  Stanley. 

To  reach  the  breach  it  was  necessary  to  cross  a  piece  of 
water  called  the  Haven.  Sir  Francis  Vere  led  the  English 
across  the  bridge  of  boats  which  had  been  thrown  over  the 
water ;  but  the  bridge  was  too  short.  Some  of  the  troops 
sprang  over  and  pushed  boldly  for  the  breach,  others  were 
pushed  over  and  drowned.  Many  of  those  behind  stripped 
off  their  armor  and  swam  across  the  Haven,  supported  by 
some  Dutch  troops  who  had  been  told  off  to  follow  the  as 
saulting  party.  But  at  the  breach  they  were  met  by  Van 
der  Berg,  the  governor,  with  seven  companies  of  soldiers, 
and  these  fought  so  courageously  that  the  assailants  were 
unable  to  win  their  way  up  the  breach,  and  fell  back  at 
last  with  a  loss  of  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  men  killed 
and  wounded. 

While  the  assault  was  going  on,  the  artillery  of  the  be 
siegers  continued  to  play  upon  other  parvs  of  the  town, 
and  effected  great  damage.  On  the  following  night  the 


CROSSING  THB  BRIDGE  OF  BOATS  OVER  THE  HAVEN.— Page  316. 
T  -.Aid.] 


B  Y  ENGLAND '  S  AID.  317 

garrison  endeavored  to  capture  the  bridge  across  the  Haven, 
*but  were  repulsed  with  loss,  and  in  the  morning  the  place 
surrendered.  The  success  of  the  patriots  was  due  in  no 
slight  degree  to  the  fact  that  Parma  with  the  greatest  part 
of  his  army  was  again  absent  in  France,  and  the  besieged 
towns  had  therefore  no  hope  of  assistance  from  without. 
The  States  now  determined  to  seize  the  opportunity  of 
capturing  the  towns  held  by  the  Spaniards  in  Friesland. 

The  three  principal  towns  in  the  possession  of  the  Span 
iards  were  Groniugeu,  Steenwyk,  and  Coevorden.  After 
capturing  several  less  important  places  and  forts  Prince 
Maurice  advanced  against  Steenwyk.  But  just  as  he  was 
about  to  commence  the  siege  he  received  pressing  letters 
from  the  States  to  hurry  south,  as  Parma  was  marching 
with  his  whole  army  to  capture  the  fort  of  Knodsenburg, 
which  had  been  raised  in  the  previous  autumn  ae  a  prep 
aration  for  the  siege  of  the  important  city  of  Nymegen. 

The  Duke  of  Parma  considered  that  he  had  ample  time 
to  reduce  Knodsenburg  before  Prince  Maurice  could  return 
to  its  assistance.  Two  great  rivers  barred  the  prince's 
return,  and  he  would  have  to  traverse  the  dangerous  dis 
trict  called  the  Foul  Meadow,  and  the  great  quagmire 
known  as  the  Rouvenian  Morass.  But  Prince  Maurice  had 
now  an  opportunity  of  showing  the  excellence  of  the  army 
he  had  raised  and  trained.  He  received  the  news  of 
Parma's  advance  on  the  loth  of  July  ;  two  days  later  he 
was  on  the  march  south,  and  in  five  days  had  thrown 
bridges  of  boats  across  the  two  rivers,  had  crossed  morass 
and  swamp,  and  appeared  in  front  of  the  Spanish  army. 

One  assault  had  already  been  delivered  by  the  Spaniards 
against  Knodsenburg,  but  this  had  been  repulsed  with 
heavy  loss.  As  soon  as  the  patriot  army  approached  the 
neighborhood,  Parma's  cavalry  went  out  to  drive  in  its 
skirmishers.  Vere  at  once  proposed  to  Prince  Maurice  to 
inflict  a  sharp  blow  upon  the  enemy,  and  with  the  approval 
of  the  prince  marched  with  1200  ff*ot.  and  500  horse  along 


818  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

the  dyke  which  ran  across  the  low  country.  Marching  to 
a  spot  where  a  bridge  crossed  a  narrow  river  he  placed  half 
his  infantry  in  ambush  there  ;  the  other  half  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  further  back. 

Two  hundred  light  cavalry  were  sent  forward  to  beat  up 
the  enemy's  outposts,  and  then  retreat ;  the  rest  of  the 
cavalry  were  posted  in  the  rear  of  the  infantry.  Another 
dyke  ran  nearly  parallel  with  the  first,  falling  into  it  at 
some  distance  in  the  rear  of  Vere's  position,  and  here 
Prince  Maurice  stationed  himself  with  a  body  of  horse  and 
foot  to  cover  Vere's  retreat,  should  he  be  obliged  to  fall 
back.  About  noon  the  light  cavalry  skirmished  with  the 
enemy  and  fell  back,  but  were  not  followed.  About  half 
an  hour  later  the  scouts  brought  word  that  the  Spaniards 
were  at  hand. 

Suddenly  and  without  orders  800  of  Maurice's  cavalry 
galloped  off  to  meet  the  enemy  ;  but  they  soon  came  back 
again  at  full  speed,  with  a  strong  force  of  Spanish  cavalry  in 
pursuit.  Vere's  infantry  at  once  sallied  out  from  their  am 
bush  among  the  trees,  poured  their  fire  into  the  enemy,  and 
charged  them  with  their  pikes.  The  Spaniards  turned  to 
fly,  when  Vere's  cavalry  charged  them  furiously  and  drove 
them  back  in  headlong  rout  to  their  own  camp,  taking  a 
great  number  of  prisoners,  among  them  many  officers  of 
rank,  and  500  horses.  Parma  finding  himself  thus  sud 
denly  in  face  of  a  superior  army,  with  a  rapid  river  in  his 
rear,  fell  back  across  the  Waal,  and  then  proceeded  to  Spa 
to  recruit  his  shattered  health,  leaving  Verdugo,  an  expe 
rienced  officer,  in  command. 

Instead  of  proceeding  to  besiege  Nymegen,  Maurice 
marched  away  as  suddenly  and  quickly  as  before,  and  cap 
tured  Hulst,  on  the  borders  of  Zeeland  and  Brabant,  a 
dozen  miles  only  from  Antwerp,  and  then  turning  again 
was,  in  three  days,  back  at  Nymegen,  and  had  placed  sixty- 
eight  pieces  of  artillery  in  position.  He  opened  fire  on  the 
20th  of  October,  and  the  next  day  the  important  city  of 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  319 

Nymegen  surrendered.  This  series  of  brilliant  successes 
greatly  raised  the  spirits  of  the  Netherlander,  and  pro 
portionately  depressed  those  of  the  Spaniards  and  their 
adherents. 

Parma  himself  was  ill  from  annoyance  and  disappoint 
ment.  The  army  with  which  he  might  have  completed 
the  conquest  of  the  Netherlands  had,  in  opposition  to  his 
entreaties  and  prayers,  been  frittered  away  by  Philip's 
orders  in  useless  expeditions  in  France,  while  the  young 
and  active  generals  of  the  Dutch  and  English  armies  were 
snatching  town  after  town  from  his  grasp,  and  consolidat 
ing  the  Netherlands,  so  recently  broken  up  by  Spanish 
strongholds,  into  a  compact  body,  whose  increasing  wealth 
and  importance  rendered  it  every  day  a  more  formidable 
opponent.  It  is  true  that  Parma  had  saved  first  Paris  and 
afterwards  Rouen  for  the  League,  but  it  was  at  the  cost  of 
loosening  Philip's  hold  over  the  most  important  outpost  of 
the  Spanish  dominions. 

In  the  following  spring  Parma  was  again  forced  to 
march  into  France  with  20,000  men,  and  Maurice,  as  soon 
as  the  force  started,  prepared  to  take  advantage  of  its 
absence.  With  GOOO  foot  and  2000  horse  he  again  appeared 
at  the  end  of  May  before  Steenwyk.  This  town  was  the 
key  to  the  province  of  Drenthe,  and  one  of  the  safeguards 
of  Friesland  ;  it  was  considered  one  of  the  strongest  fort 
resses  of  the  time.  Its  garrison  consisted  of  sixteen  com 
panies  of  foot  and  some  cavalry,  and  1200  Walloon  in 
fantry,  commanded  by  Lewis,  the  youngest  of  the  Counts 
de  Berg,  a  brave  lad  of  eighteen  years  of  age. 

In  this  siege,  for  the  first  time,  the  spade  was  used  by 
soldiers  in  the  field.  Hitherto  the  work  had  been  consid 
ered  derogatory  to  troops,  and  peasants  and  miners  had 
been  engaged  for  the  work  ;  but  Prince  Maurice  had 
taught  his  soldiers  that  their  duty  was  to  work  as  well  as 
fight,  and  they  now  proved  the  value  of  his  teaching. 

besieged  made  several  successful  sorties,  and  Sir 


320  BY  ENGLAND ' 8  AID. 

Francis  Vere  had  been  severely  wounded  in  the  leg.  The 
cannonade  effected  but  little  damage  on  the  strong  walls  ; 
but  the  soldiers,  working  night  and  day,  drove  mines  under 
two  of  the  principal  bastions,  and  constructed  two  great 
chambers  there ;  these  were  charged,  one  with  five  thou 
sand  pounds  of  powder,  the  other  with  half  that  quantity. 
On  the  3d  of  July  the  mines  were  sprung.  The  bastion  of 
the  east  gate  was  blown  to  pieces  and  the  other  bastion 
greatly  injured,  but  many  of  the  Dutch  troops  standing 
ready  for  the  assault  were  also  killed  by  the  explo 
sion. 

The  storming  parties,  however,  rushed  forward,  and  the 
two  bastions  were  captured.  This  left  the  town  at  the 
mercy  of  the  besiegers.  The  next  day  the  garrison  surren 
dered,  and  were  permitted  to  march  away.  Three  hun 
dred  and  fifty  had  been  killed,  among  them  young  Count 
Lewis  Van  der  Berg,  and  two  hundred  had  been  left  behind, 
severely  wounded,  in  the  town.  Between  five  and  six  hun 
dred  of  the  besiegers  were  killed  during  the  course  of  he 
siege.  The  very  day  after  the  surrender  of  Steenwyk 
Maurice  marched  away  and  laid  siege  to  Coevorden.  This 
city,  which  was  most  strongly  fortified,  lay  between  two 
great  swamps,  between  which  there  was  a  passage  of  about 
half  a  mile  in  width. 

Another  of  the  Van  der  Bergs,  Count  Frederick,  com 
manded  the  garrison  of  a  thousand  veterans.  Verdugo 
sent  to  Parma  and  Mondragon  for  aid,  but  none  could  be 
sent  to  him,  and  the  prince  worked  at  his  fortifications 
undisturbed.  His  force  was  weakened  by  the  withdrawn! 
of  Sir  Francis  Vere  with  three  of  the  English  regiments, 
Elizabeth  having  sent  peremptory  orders  that  this  force 
should  follow  those  already  withdrawn  to  aid  Henry  of 
Navarre  in  Brittany.  Very  unwillingly  Vere  obeyed,  and 
marched  to  Doesburg  on  the  Yssel.  But  a  fortnight  after 
he  arrived  there,  while  he  was  waiting  for  ships  to  trans 
port  him  to  Brittany  the  news  came  to  him  that  Verdugo, 


E Y  ENGLAND  '5  AID.  32! 

having  gathered  a  large  force  together,  was  about  to  attack 
^Prince  Maurice  in  his  camp,  and  Vere  at  once  started  to 
the  prince's  aid. 

On  the  night  of  the  6th  of  September,  Verdugo,  with 
4000  foot  and  1800  cavalry,  wearing  their  shirts  outside 
their  armor  to  enable  them  to  distinguish  each  other  in  the 
dark,  fell  upon  Maurice's  camp.  Fortunately  tLe  prince 
was  prepared,  having  intercepted  a  letter  from  Verdugo  to 
the  governor  of  the  town.  A  desperate  battle  took  place, 
but  at  break  of  day,  while  its  issue  was  still  uncertain, 
Vere,  who  had  marched  all  night,  came  up  and  threw  him 
self  into  the  battle.  His  arrival  was  decisive.  Verdugo 
drew  off  with  a  loss  of  300  killed,  and  five  days  later 
Coevorden  surrendered,  and  Prince  Maurice's  army  went 
into  winter  quarters. 

A  few  weeks  later  Parma  died,  killed  by  the  burden 
Philip  threw  upon  him,  broken  down  by  the  constant  dis 
appointment  of  his  hopes  of  carrying  his  work  to  a  suc 
cessful  end,  by  the  incessant  interference  of  Philip  with 
his  plans,  and  by  the  anxiety  caused  by  the  mutinies  aris 
ing  from  his  inability  to  pay  his  troops,  although  he  had 
borrowed  to  the  utmost  on  his  own  possessions,  and  pawned 
even  his  jewels  to  keep  them  from  starvation.  He  was  un 
doubtedly  the  greatest  commander  of  his  age,  and  had  he 
been  left  to  carry  out  his  own  plans  would  have  crushed 
out  the  last  ember  of  resistance  in  the  Netherlands  and 
consolidated  the  power  of  Spain  there. 

He  was  succeeded  in  his  post  by  the  Archduke  Albert, 
but  for  a  time  Ernest  Mansfeldt  continued  to  command 
the  army,  and  to  manage  the  affairs  in  the  Netherlands. 
In  March,  1593,  Prince  Maurice  appeared  with  his  army  in 
front  of  Gertruydenberg.  Tho  oity  itself  was  an  important 
one,  and  its  position  on  the  Maas  rendered  it  of  the  greatest 
use  to  the  Spaniards,  as  through  it  they  were  at  any 
moment  enabled  to  penetrate  into  the  heart  of  Holland. 
Gertruydenberg  and  Groningen,  the  capital  of  Friesland, 

31 


822  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

were  now,  indeed,  the  only  important  places  in  the  re 
public  that  remained  in  possession  of  the  Spaniard.  Ho- 
henlohe  with  a  portion  of  the  army  established  himself  to 
the  east  of  the  city,  Maurice  with  its  main  body  to  the 
west. 

Two  bridges  constructed  across  the  river  Douge  afforded 
a  means  of  communication  between  two  armies,  and 
plank  roads  were  laid  across  the  swamps  for  the  passage  of 
baggage  wagons.  Three  thousand  soldiers  labored  inces 
santly  at  the  works,  which  were  intended  not  only  to  isolate 
the  city,  but  to  defend  the  besiegers  from  any  attack  that 
might  be  made  upon  them  by  a  relieving  army.  The 
better  to  protect  themselves,  miles  of  country  were  laid 
under  water,  and  palisade  work  erected  to  render  the  coun 
try  impregnable  by  cavalry. 

Ernest  Mansfeldt  did  his  best  to  relieve  the  town.  His 
son,  Count  Charles,  with  five  thousand  troops,  had  been 
sent  into  France,  but  by  sweeping  up  all  the  garrisons,  he 
moved  with  a  considerable  army  towards  Gertruydenberg 
and  challenged  Maurice  to  issue  out  from  his  lines  to  fight 
him.  But  the  prince  had  no  idea  of  risking  a  certain  suc 
cess  upon  the  issue  of  a  battle. 

A  hundred  pieces  of  artillery  on  the  batteries  played  in 
cessantly  on  the  town,  while  a  blockading  squadron  of  Zee- 
land  ships  assisted  in  the  bombardment,  and  so  terrible 
was  the  fire,  that  when  the  town  was  finally  taken  only 
four  houses  were  found  to  have  escaped  injury. 

Two  commandants  of  the  place  were  killed  one  after  the 
other,  and  the  garrison  of  a  thousand  veterans,  besides  the 
burgher  militia,  was  greatly  reduced  in  strength.  At  last, 
after  ninety  days'  siege,  the  town  suddenly  fell.  Upon 
the  24th  of  June  three  Dutch  captains  were  relieving 
guard  in  the  trenches  near  the  great  north  bastion  of  the 
town,  when  it  occurred  to  them  to  scale  the  wall  of  the 
fort  and  see  what  was  going  on  inside.  They  threw  some 
planks  across  the  ditch,  and  taking  half  a  company  of 


BY  ENGLAND1 8  AID.  323 

soldiers,  climbed  cautiously  up.  They  obtained  a  foothold 
*before  the  alarm  was  given.  There  was  a  fierce  hand-to- 
hand  struggle,  and  sixteen  of  the  party  fell,  and  nine  of 
t lie  garrison.  The  rest  fled  into  the  city.  The  Governor 
Gysant,  rushing  to  the  rescue  without  staying  to  put  on  his 
armor,  was  killed. 

Count  Solms  came  from  the  besieging  camp  to  investi 
gate  the  sudden  uproar,  and  to  his  profound  astonishment 
was  met  by  a  deputation  from  the  city  asking  for  terms  of 
surrender.  Prince  Maurice  soon  afterwards  came  up,  and 
the  terms  of  capitulation  were  agreed  upon.  The  garrison 
were  allowed  to  retire  with  side-arms  and  baggage,  and 
fifty  wagons  were  lent  to  them  to  carry  off  their  wounded. 

In  the  following  spring  Coevorden,  which  had  been  in 
vested  by  Verdugo,  was  relieved,  and  Groningen,  the  last 
great  city  of  the  Netherlands  in  the  hands  of  the  Span 
iards,  was  besieged.  Mines  were  driven  under  its  principal 
bastion,  and  when  these  were  sprung,  after  sixty-five  days' 
siege,  the  city  was  forced  to  surrender.  Thus  for  the  first 
time,  after  years  of  warfare,  Holland,  Zeeland,  and  Fries- 
land  became  truly  united,  and  free  from  the  grasp  of  the 
hated  invader. 

Throughout  the  last  three  years  of  warfare  Sir  Francis 
Vere  had  proved  an  able  assistant  to  the  prince,  and  the 
English  troops  had  fought  bravely  side  by  side  witli  the 
Dutch  ;  but  their  contingent  had  been  but  a  small  one, 
for  the  majority  of  Yere's  force  had,  like  that  of  the  Span 
iards,  been  withdrawn  for  service  in  France.  The  struggle 
in  that  country  was  nearly  at  an  end.  The  conversion  of 
Henry  of  Navarre  for  the  second  time  to  the  Catholic  re 
ligion  had  ranged  many  Catholics,  who  had  hitherto  been 
opposed  to  him,  under  his  banner,  while  many  had  fallen 
away  from  the  ranks  of  the  League  in  disgust,  when  Philip 
of  Spain  at  last  threw  off  the  mask  of  disinterestedness,  and 
proposed  his  nephew  the  Archduke  Ernest  as  king  of 
France. 


324  BY  ENGLAND'S 

In  July,  1595,  a  serious  misfortune  befell  the  allied 
army.  They  had  laid  siege  to  Crolle,  and  had  made  con 
siderable  progress  with  the  siege,  when  the  Spanish  army, 
under  command  of  Mondragon,  the  aged  governor  of  Ant 
werp,  marched  to  its  relief.  As  the  army  of  Maurice  was 
inferior  in  numbers,  the  States  would  not  consent  to  a 
general  action.  The  siege  was  consequently  raised ;  and 
Mondragon  having  attained  his  object,  fell  back  to  a  posi 
tion  on  the  Rhine  at  Orsoy,  above  Rheinberg,  whence  he 
could  watch  the  movements  of  the  allied  army  encamped 
on  the  opposite  bank  at  Bislich,  a  few  miles  below 
Wesel. 

The  Spanish  army  occupied  both  sides  of  the  river,  the 
wing  on  the  right  bank  being  protected  from  attack  by  the 
river  Lippe,  which  falls  into  the  Rhine  at  Wesel,  and  by  a 
range  of  moorland  hills  called  the  Testerburg.  The  Dutch 
cavalry  saw.  that  the  slopes  of  this  hill  were  occupied  by 
the  Spaniards,  but  believed  that  their  force  consisted  only 
of  a  few  troops  of  horse.  Young  Count  Philip  of  Nassau 
proposed  that  a  body  of  cavalry  should  swim  the  Lippe, 
and  attack  and  cut  them  off.  Prince  Maurice  and  Sir 
Francis  Vere  gave  a  very  reluctant  consent  to  the  enter 
prise,  but  finally  allowed  him  to  take  a  force  of  five  hun 
dred  men. 

With  him  were  his  brothers  Ernest  and  Louis,  his 
nephew  Ernest  de  Solms,  and  many  other  nobles  of  Hol 
land.  Sir  Marcellus  Bacx  was  in  command  of  them.  The 
English  contingent  was  commanded  by  Sir  Nicholas  Par 
ker  and  Robert  Vere.  On  August  22d  they  swam  the 
Lippe  and  galloped  in  the  direction  where  they  expected 
to  find  two  or  three  troops  of  Spanish  horse ;  but  Mon 
dragon  had  received  news  of  their  intentions,  and  they 
suddenly  saw  before  them  half  the  Spanish  army.  With 
out  hesitation  the  five  hundred  English  and  Dutch  horse 
men  charged  desperately  into  the  enemy's  ranks,  and  fought 
with  extraordinary  valor,  until,  altogether  overpowered  by 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

numbers,  Philip  of  Nassau  and  his  nephew  Ernest  were 
*both  mortally  wounded  and  taken  prisoners. 

Robert  Vere  was  slain  by  a  lance-thrust  in  the  face,  and 
many  other  nobles  and  gentlemen  fell.  Thus  died  one  of 
the  three  brave  brothers,  for  the  youngest,  Horace,  had 
also  joined  the  army  in  1590.  The  survivors  of  the  band 
under  Sir  Nicholas  Parker  and  Marcellus  Bacx  managed 
to  effect  their  retreat,  covered  by  a  reserve  Prince  Maurice 
had  posted  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river. 


£Y  ENGLAND'S  AJ.lt. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

CADIZ. 

IN  March,  1596,  Sir  Francis  Vere  returned  to  Holland. 
He  had  during  his  absence  in  England  been  largely  taken 
into  the  counsels  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  and  it  had  been  de 
cided  that  the  war  should  be  carried  into  the  enemy's 
country,  and  a  heavy  blow  struck  at  the  power  of  Spain. 
Vere  had  been  appointed  to  an  important  command  in  the 
proposed  expedition,  and  had  now  come  out  charged  with 
the  mission  of  persuading  the  States-general  to  co-operate 
heartily  with  England,  and  to  contribute  both  money  and 
men.  There  was  much  discussion  in  the  States  ;  but  they 
finally  agreed  to  comply  with  the  queen's  wishes,  consider 
ing  that  there  was  no  surer  way  of  bringing  the  war  to  a 
termination  than  to  transport  it  nearer  to  the  heart  of  the 
enemy. 

As  soon  as  the  matter  was  arranged.  Sir  Francis  Vere 
left  the  Hague  and  went  to  Middleburg,  where  the  prep 
arations  for  the  Dutch  portions  of  the  expedition  were 
carried  out.  It  consisted  of  twenty-two  Dutch  ships,  under 
Count  William  of  Nassau,  and  a  thousand  of  the  English 
troops  in  the  pay  of  the  States.  The  company  commanded 
by  Lionel  Vickars  was  one  of  those  chosen  to  accompany 
the  expedition  ;  and  on  the  22d  of  April  it  started  from 
Flushing  and  joined  the  British  fleet  assembled  at  Dover. 
This  was  under  the  command  of  Lord  Howard  as  lord- 
admiral,  the  Earl  of  Essex  as  general,  Lord  Thomas 
Howard  as  vice-admiral,  and  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  as  rear- 
admiraL 


BY  EH GLAND1  S  AID.  327 

Sir  Francis  Vere  was  lieutenant-general  and  lord- 
inarshal.  He  was  to  be  the  chief  adviser  of  the  Earl  of 
Essex,  and  to  have  the  command  of  operations  on  shore. 
The  ships  of  war  consisted  of  the  Ark- Royal,  the  Repulse, 
Mere-Honor,  War-Sprite,  Rainbow,  Mary,  Rose,  Dread- 
naught,  Vanguard,  Nonpareil,  Lion,  Swiftsure,  Quittance, 
and  Tremontaine.  There  were  also  twelve  ships  belong 
ing  to  London,  and  the  twenty-two  Dutch  vessels.  The 
fleet,  which  was  largely  fitted  out  at  the  private  expense 
of  Lord  Howard  and  the  Earl  of  Essex,  sailed  from  Dover 
to  Plymouth.  Sir  Francis  Vere  went  by  land,  and  set  to 
work  at  the  organization  of  the  army. 

A  month  was  thus  spent,  and  on  the  1st  of  June  the 
fleet  set  sail.  It  carried  6360  soldiers  and  1000  volun 
teers,  and  was  manned  by  nearly  7000  sailors.  There  had 
been  some  dispute  as  to  the  relative  ranks  of  Sir  Francis 
Vere  and  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  and  it  was  settled  that  Sir 
Francis  should  have  precedence  on  shore,  and  Sir  Walter 
Raleigh  at  sea. 

All  on  board  the  fleet  were  full  of  enthusiasm  at  the  en 
terprise  upon  which  they  were  embarked.  It  was  eight 
years  since  the  Spanish  Armada  had  sailed  to  invade 
England  ;  now  an  English  fleet  was  sailing  to  attack  Spain 
ou  her  own  ground.  Things  had  changed  indeed  in  that 
time.  Spain,  which  had  been  deemed  invincible,  had  suf 
fered  many  reverses  ;  while  England  had  made  great 
strides  in  power,  and  was  now  mistress  of  the  seas,  on 
which  Spain  had  formerly  considered  herself  to  be  su 
preme. 

A  favorable  wind  from  the  northeast  carried  the  fleet 
rapidly  across  the  Bay  of  Biscay,  and  it  proceeded  on  its 
way,  keeping  well  out  of  sight  of  the  coast  of  Portugal. 
The  three  fastest  sailers  of  the  fleet  were  sent  on  ahead  as 
soon  as  they  rounded  Cape  St  Vincent,  with  orders  to 
capture  all  small  vessels  which  might  carry  to  Cadiz  the 
tidings  of  the  approach  of  the  fleet. 


328 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 


Early  on  the  morning  of  the  20th  June  the  fleet  an 
chored  off  the  spit  of  San  Sebastian  on  the  southern  side 
of  the  city. 

Cadiz  was  defended  by  the  fort  of  San  Sebastian  on  one 
side  and  that  of  San  Felipe  on  the  other  ;  while  the  fort  of 


Puntales,  on  the  long  spit  of  sand  connecting  the  city  with 
the  mainland,  defended  the  channel  leading  up  to  Puerto 
Eeal,  and  covered  by  its  guns  the  Spanish  galleys  and  ships 
of  war  anchored  there.  Lying  off  the  town  when  the 
English  fleet  came  in  sight  were  forty  rich-laden  merchant 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  329 

ships  about  to  sail  for  Mexico,  under  the  convoy  of  four 
^great  men-of-war,  two  Lisbon  galleons,  two  argosies,  and 
three  frigates. 

As  soon  as  the  English  were  seen,  the  merchant  ships 
were  ordered  up  the  channel  to  Puerto  Real,  and  the  men- 
of-war  and  the  fleet  of  seventeen  war  galleys  were  ranged 
under  the  guns  of  Fort  Puntales  to  prevent  the  English 
passing  up.  It  had  first  been  decided  to  attempt  a  land 
ing  in  the  harbor  of  Galeta,  on  the  south  side  of  the  city  ; 
but  a  heavy  sea  was  setting  in,  and  although  the  troops 
had  been  got  into  the  boats  they  were  re-embarked,  and 
the  fleet  sailed  round  and  anchored  at  the  mouth  of  the 
channel  leading  up  the  bay.  A  council  of  war  was  held 
that  night,  and  it  was  decided  that  the  fleet  should  move 
up  the  bay  with  the  tide  next  morning,  and  attack  the 
Spanish  fleet. 

The  next  morning  at  daybreak  the  ships  got  up  their 
anchors  and  sailed  up  the  channel,  each  commander  vieing 
with  the  rest  in  his  eagerness  to  be  first  in  the  fray.  They 
were  soon  hotly  engaged  with  the  enemy ;  the  fort,  men- 
of-war,  and  galleys  opening  a  heavy  fire  upon  them,  to 
which,  anchoring  as  close  as  they  could  get  to  the  foe,  the 
English  ships  hotly  responded.  The  galleys  were  driven 
closer  in  under  the  shelter  of  the  fire  of  the  fort,  and  the 
fire  was  kept  up  without  intermission  from  six  o'clock  in 
the  morning  until  four  in  the  afternoon. 

By  that  time  the  Spaniards  had  had  enough  of  it.  The 
galleys  slipped  their  cables  and  made  sail  for  a  narrow 
channel  across  the  spit,  covered  by  the  guns  of  the  fort. 
Three  of  them  were  captured  by  Sir  John  Wingfield  in 
the  Vanguard,  but  the  rest  got  through  the  channel  and 
escaped.  The  men-of-war  endeavored  to  run  ashore,  but 
boarding  parties  in  boats  from  the  Ark- Royal  and  Repulse 
captured  two  of  them.  The  Spaniards  set  fire  to  the  other 
two.  The  argosies  and  oralleons  were  also  captured.  Sir 
Francis  Vere  at  once  took  the  command  of  the  land  opera- 


330  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

tions.  The  boats  were  all  lowered,  and  the  regiments  c 
Essex,  Vere,  Blount,  Gerard,  aud  Clifford  told  off  as  a 
landing  party.  They  were  formed  in  line.  The  Earl  of 
Essex  and  Sir  Francis  Vere  took  their  places  in  a  boat  in 
advance  of  the  line,  and  were  followed  by  smaller  boats 
crowded  with  gentlemen  volunteers. 

They  landed  between  the  fort  of  Puntales  and  the 
town.  The  regiments  of  Blount,  Gerard,  and  Clifford  were 
sent  to  the  narrowest  part  of  the  spit  to  prevent  reinforce 
ments  being  thrown  into  the  place  ;  while  those  of  Essex 
and  Vere  and  the  gentlemen  volunteers  turned  towards 
Cadiz.  Each  of  these  parties  consisted  of  about  a  thou 
sand  men. 

The  walls  of  Cadiz  were  so  strong  that  it  had  been  in 
tended  to  land  guns  from  the  fleet,  raise  batteries,  and 
make  a  breach  in  the  walls.  Vere,  however,  perceiving 
some  Spanish  cavalry  and  infantry  drawn  up  outside  the 
walls,  suggested  to  Essex  that  an  attempt  should  be  made 
to  take  the  place  by  surprise.  The  earl  at  once  agreed  to 
the  plan. 

Vere  marched  the  force  across  to  the  west  side  of  the 
spit,  his  movements  being  concealed  by  the  sand-hills  from 
the  Spanish.  Sir  John  Wiugfield  with  two  hundred  men 
was  ordered  to  march  rapidly  on  against  the  enemy,  driv 
ing  in  their  skirmishers,  and  then  to  retreat  hastily  when 
the  main  body  advanced  against  him.  Three  hundred 
men  under  Sir  Matthew  Morgan  were  posted  as  supports 
to  Wingfield,  and  as  soon  as  the  latter's  flying  force  joined 
them  the  whole  were  to  fall  upon  the  Spaniards  and  in 
i;urn  chase  them  back  to  the  walls,  against  which  the  main 
body  under  Essex  and  Vere  were  to  advance.  The  orders 
ably  carried  out.  The  Spaniards  were  in  hot  chase  of  Wing- 
field  found  themselves  suddenly  confronted  by  Morgan's 
force,  who  fell  upon  them  so  furiously  that  they  fled  back 
to  the  town  closely  followed  by  the  English.  Some  of  the 
fugitives  made  their  way  in  at  the  gates,  which  were  hur- 


BY  ENGLAXD^S  AID.  331 

riedly  closed,  while  others  climbed  up  at  the  bastions, 
lehich  sloped  sufficiently  to  afford  foothold.  Vere's  troops 
from  the  Netherlands,  led  by  Essex,  also  scaled  the  bastions 
and  then  an  inner  wall  behind  it.  As  soon  as  they  had 
captured  this  they  rushed  through  the  streets,  shooting 
and  cutting  down  any  who  opposed  them. 

Sir  Francis  Vere,  who  had  also  scaled  the  ramparts,  kne\r 
that  cities  captured  by  assaults  had  often  been  lost  again 
by  the  soldiers  scattering.  He  therefore  directed  the  rest 
of  the  troops  to  burst  open  the  gute.  This  was  with  some 
difficulty  effected,  and  he  then  marched  them  in  good  order 
to  the  market-place,  where  the  Spaniards  had  rallied  and 
were  hotly  engaged  with  Essex.  The  opposition  was  soon 
beaten  down,  and  those  defending  the  town-hall  were 
forced  to  surrender.  The  troops  were  then  marched 
through  the  town,  and  the  garrison  driven  either  into  the 
convent  of  San  Francisco  or  into  the  castle  of  Felipe. 
The  convent  surrendered  on  the  same  evening  and  the 
castle  on  the  following  day.  The  loss  upon  the  part  of 
the  assailants  was  very  small,  but  Sir  John  Wingfield  was 
mortally  wounded. 

The  English  behaved  with  the  greatest  courtesy  to  their 
captives,  their  conduct  presenting  an  extraordinary  con 
trast  to  that  of  the  Spaniards  under  similar  circumstance 
in  the  Netherlands.  The  women  were  treated  with  the 
greatest  courtesy,  and  five  thousand  inhabitants,  includ 
ing  women  and  priests,  were  allowed  to  leave  the  town  with 
their  clothes.  The  terms  were  that  the  city  should  pay  a 
ransom  of  520,000  ducats,  and  that  some  of  the  chief  citi 
zens  should  remain  as  hostages  for  payment. 

As  soon  as  the  fighting  ceased,  Lionel  Vickars  accom 
panied  Sir  Francis  Vere  through  the  streets  to  set  guards, 
and  see  that  no  insult  was  offered  to  any  of  the  inhabit 
ants.  As  they  passed  along,  the  door  of  one  of  the  mansions 
was  thrown  open.  A  gentleman  hurried  out ;  he  paused 
for  a  moment,  exclaiming,  "Sir  Francis  Vere  '"  and  then 


332  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

looking  at  Lionel  rushed  forward  towards  him  with  a  cry 
of  delight.  Sir  Francis  Vere  and  Lionel  stared  in  astonish 
ment  as  the  former's  name  was  called  ;  bat  at  the  sound 
of  his  own  name  Lionel  fell  back  a  step  as  if  stupefied,  and 
then  with  a  cry  of  ''Geoffrey  V  fell  into  his  brother's 
arms. 

"  It  is  indeed  Geoffrey  Yickars  ! "  Sir  Francis  Vere  ex 
claimed.  "  Why,  Geoffrey,  what  miracle  is  this !  We 
have  thought  you  dead  these  six  years,  and  now  we  find 
you  transmuted  into  a  Spanish  don." 

"  I  may  look  like  one,  Sir  Francis,"  Geoffrey  said  as  he 
shook  his  old  commander's  hand,  "  but  I  am  English  to 
the  backbone  still.  But  iny  story  is  too  long  to  tell  now. 
You  will  be  doubtless  too  busy  to-night  to  spare  time  to 
listen  to  it,  but  I  pray  you  to  breakfast  with  me  in  the 
morning,  when  I  will  briefly  relate  to  you  the  outline  of 
my  adventures.  Can  you  spare  my  brother  for  to-night, 
Sir  Francis  ?  " 

"  I  would  do  so  were  there  ten  times  the  work  to  be  got 
through,"  Sir  Francis  replied.  "  Assuredly  I  would  not 
keep  asunder  for  a  minute  two  brothers  who  have  so  long 
been  separated.  I  will  breakfast  with  you  in  the  morning 
and  hear  this  strange  story  of  yours  ;  for  strange  it  must 
assuredly  be,  since  it  has  changed  my  young  page  of  the 
Netherlands  into  a  Spanish  hidalgo." 

"  I  am  no  hidalgo,  Sir  Francis,  but  a  trader  of  Cadiz, 
and  I  own  that  although  I  have  been  in  some  way  a  pris- 
soner,  seeing  that  I  could  not  effect  my  escape,  I  have  not 
fared  badly.  Xow,  Lionel  come  in.  I  have  another  sur 
prise  for  you." 

Lionel,  still  confused  and  wonder-stricken  at  this  ap 
parent  resurrection  of  his  brother  from  the  dead,  followed 
him  upstairs.  Geoffrey  led  the  way  into  a  handsomely 
furnished  apartment,  where  a  young  lady  was  sitting  with 
a  boy  two  years  old  in  her  lap. 

"  Dolores,  this  is  my  brother  Lionel,  of  whom  you  have 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

so  often  heard  me  speak.  Lionel,  this  is  ray  wife  and  my 
eldest  boy,  who  is  named  after  you." 

It  was  some  time  before  Lionel  could  completely  realize 
the  position,  and  it  was  not  until  Dolores  in  somewhat 
broken  English  bade  him  welcome  that  he  found  his 
tongue. 

"  But  I  cannot  understand  it  all ! "  he  exclaimed,  after 
responding  to  the  words  of  Dolores.  "  I  saw  my  brother 
in  the  middle  of  the  battle  with  the  Armada.  We  came 
into  collision  with  a  great  galleon,  we  lost  one  of  our 
masts,  and  I  never  saw  Geoffrey  afterwards  ;  and  we  all 
thought  that  he  had  either  been  shot  by  the  musketeers 
on  the  galleon,  or  had  been  knocked  overboard  and  killed 
by  the  falling  mast." 

"I  had  hoped  that  long  before  this  you  would  have 
heard  of  my  safety,  Lionel,  for  a  sailor  friend  of  mine 
promised  if  he  reached  England  to  go  down  at  once  to 
Hedingham  to  tell  them  there.  He  left  the  ship  he  was 
in  out  in  the  West  Indies,  and  I  hoped  had  reached  home 
safely." 

1 '  We  have  heard  nothing,  Geoffrey.  The  man  has  never 
come  with  your  message.  But  now  tell  me  how  you  were 
saved." 

"  I  was  knocked  over  by  the  mast,  Lionel,  but  as  you 
see  I  was  not  killed.  I  climbed  up  into  a  passing  Spanish 
ship,  and  concealed  myself  in  the  chains  until  she  was 
sunk,  when  I  was,  with  many  of  the  crew,  picked  up  by 
the  boats  of  other  ships.  I  pretended  to  have  lost  my 
senses  and  my  speech,  and  none  suspected  that  I  was 
English.  The  ship  I  was  on  board  of  was  one  of  those 
which  succeeded  after  terrible  hardships  in  returning  to 
Spain.  An  Irish  gentleman  on  board  her,  to  whom  I  con 
fided  iny  secret,  took  me  as  a  servant.  After  many  ad 
ventures  I  sailed  with  him  for  Italy,  where  v/o  hoped  to 
get  a  ship  for  England.  On  the  way  we  were  attacked  by 
Barbary  pirates.  We  beat  them  off,  but  I  was  taken  pris- 


334  B  T  ENGLAND '  S  AID. 

oner.  I  remained  a  captive  among  them  for  nearly  two 
years,  and  then  with  a  fellow-prisoner  escaped,  together 
with  Dolores  and  her  father,  who  had  also  been  captured 
by  the  pirates.  We  reached  Spain  in  safety,  and  I  have 
since  passed  as  one  of  the  many  exiles  from  England  and 
Ireland  who  have  taken  refuge  here  ;  and  Senor  Mendez, 
my  wife's  father,  was  good  enough  to  bestow  her  hand 
upon  me,  partly  in  gratitude  for  the  services  I  had  ren 
dered  him  in  his  escape,  partly  because  he  saw  she  would 
break  her  heart  if  he  refused." 

"  You  know  that  is  not  true,  Geoffrey,"  Dolores  inter 
rupted. 

"  Never  mind,  Dolores,  it  is  near  enough.  And  with 
his  daughter,"  he  continued,  "  he  gave  me  a  share  in  his 
business.  I  have  been  a  fortunate  man  indeed,  Lionel ; 
but  I  have  always  longed  for  a  chance  to  return  home  ; 
until  now  none  has  ever  offered  itself,  and  I  have  grieved 
continually  at  the  thought  that  my  father  and  mother  and 
you  were  mourning  for  me  as  dead.  Now  you  have  the 
outline  of  my  story  ;  tell  me  about  all  at  home." 

"  Our  father  and  mother  are  both  well,  Geoffrey,  though 
your  supposed  loss  was  a  great  blow  for  them.  But  is  it 
still  home  for  you,  Geoffrey  ?  Do  you  really  mean  to 
return  with  us." 

'  *  Of  course  I  do,  Lionel.  At  the  time  I  married  I  ar 
ranged  with  Sefior  Mendez  that  whenever  an  opportunity 
occurred  I  was  to  return  home,  taking,  of  course,  Dolores 
with  me.  She  has  been  learning  English  ever  since,  and 
although  naturally  she  would  rather  that  we  remained 
here  she  is  quite  prepared  to  make  her  home  in  England. 
"We  have  two  boys,  this  youngster,  and  a  baby  three  months 
old ;  so,  you  see,  you  have  all  at  once  acquired  nephews 
as  well  as  a  brother  and  sister.  Here  is  Senor  Mendez. 
This  is  my  brother,  sefior,  the  Lionel  after  whom  I  named 
my  boy,  though  I  never  dreamed  that  our  next  meeting 
would  take  place  within  the  walls  of  Cadiz." 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  335 

"You  have  astounded  us,  senor,"  the  merchant  said 
Courteously.  "  We  thought  that  Cadiz  was  safe  from,  an 
attack ;  and  though  we  were  aware  you  had  defeated  our 
fleet  we  were  astonished  indeed  when  two  hours  since  we 
heard  by  the  din  and  firing  in  the  streets  that  you  had 
captured  the  city.  Truly  you  English  do  not  suffer  the 
grass  to  grow  under  your  feet.  When  we  woke  this  morn 
ing  no  one  dreamed  of  danger,  and  now  in  the  course  of 
one  day  you  have  destroyed  our  fleet,  captured  our  town, 
and  have  our  lives  and  properties  at  your  disposal." 

"  Your  lives  are  in  no  danger,  senor,  and  all  who  choose 
are  free  to  depart  without  harm  or  hindrance.  But  as  to 
your  property — I  don't  mean  yours  of  course,  because  as 
Geoffrey's  father-in-law  I  am  sure  that  Sir  Francis  Vere 
will  inflict  no  fine  upon  you — but  the  city  generally  will 
have  to  pay,  I  hear,  some  half  million  ducats  as  ransom/' 

"That  is  as  nothing,"  the  Spaniard  said,  "to  the  loss 
the  city  will  suffer  in  the  loss  of  the  forty  merchant  ships 
which  you  will  doubtless  capture  or  burn.  Right  glad  am 
I  that  no  cargo  of  mine  is  on  board  any  of  them,  for  I  do 
not  trade  with  Mexico ;  but  I  am  sure  the  value  of  the 
ships  with  their  cargoes  cannot  be  less  than  twenty  millions 
of  ducats.  This  will  fall  upon  the  traders  of  this  town 
and  of  Seville.  Still,  I  own  that  the  ransom  of  half-a- 
million  for  a  city  like  Cadiz  seems  to  me  to  be  very  moder 
ate,  and  the  tranquillity  that  already  prevails  in  the  town 
is  beyond  all  praise.  Would  that  such  had  been  the  be 
havior  of  my  countrymen  in  the  Netherlands  !  " 

Don  Mendez  spoke  in  a  tone  of  deep  depression.  Geof 
frey  made  a  sign  to  his  brother  to  come  out  on  the  balcony, 
while  the  merchant  took  a  seat  beside  his  daughter. 

"  'Tis  best  to  leave  them  alone,"  he  said  as  they  looked 
down  into  the  street,  where  the  English  and  their  Dutch 
allies,  many  of  whom  had  now  landed,  were  wandering 
about  examining  the  public  buildings  and  chrarches,  while 
the  inhabitants  looked  with  timid  curiosity  from  their  win- 


330  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

dows  and  balconies  at  the  men  who  had.  ,s  if  by  magic,  sud 
denly  become  their  masters.  "  I  can  see  that  the  old  gentle 
man  is  terribly  cut  up.  Of  course,  nothing  has  been  said 
between  us  yet,  for  it  was  not  until  we  heard  the  sound  of 
firing  in  the  streets  that  any  on3  thought  there  was  the 
smallest  risk  of  your  capturing  the  city.  Nevertheless, 
he  must  be  sure  that  I  shall  take  this  opportunity  of  return 
ing  home. 

"  It  has  always  been  understood  between  us  that  I  should 
do  so  as  soon  as  any  safe  method  of  making  a  passage  could 
be  discovered  ;  but  after  being  here  with  him  more  than 
three  years  he  had  doubtless  come  to  believe  that  such  a 
chance  would  never  come  during  his  lifetime,  and  the 
thought  of  an  early  separation  from  his  daughter,  and  the 
break  up  of  our  household  here,  must  be  painful  to  him  in 
the  extreme.  It  has  been  settled  that  I  should  still  remain 
partner  in  the  firm,  and  should  manage  our  affairs  in  Eng 
land  and  Holland  ;  but  this  will,  of  course,  be  a  compara- 
*ively  small  business  until  peace  is  restored,  and  ships  are 
free  to  come  and  go  on  both  sides  as  they  please.  But  I 
think  it  is  likely  he  will  himself  come  to  live  with  ns  in 
England,  and  that  we  shall  make  that  the  headquarters 
of  the  firm,  employing  our  ships  in  traffic  with  Holland, 
France,  and  the  Mediterranean  until  peace  is  restored 
with  Spain,  and  having  only  an  agent  here  to  conduct  such 
business  as  we  may  be  able  to  carry  on  under  the  present 
stringent  regulations. 

"  In  point  of  fact,  even  if  we  wound  up  our  affairs  and 
disposed  of  our  ships,  it  would  matter  little  to  us,  for 
Mendez  is  a  very  rich  man,  and  as  Dolores  is  his  only  child 
he  has  no  great  motive  beyond  the  occupation  it  gives  him 
for  continuing  in  business.  So  you  are  a  captain  now, 
Lionel  !  Have  you  had  a  great  deal  of  fighting  ?  " 

"Not  a  great  deal.  The  Spaniards  have  been  too 
mtich  occupied  with  their  affairs  in  France  to  give  us  much 
work  to  do.  In  Holland  I  took  part  in  the  adventure  that 


B  T  ENGLAND '  S  AID.  337 

led  to  the  capture  of  Breda,  did  some  fighting  in  France 
with  the  army  of  Henry  of  Navarre,  and  have  been  con 
cerned  in  a  good  many  sieges  and  skirmishes.  I  do  not 
know  whether  you  heard  of  the  death  of  Robert  Vere.  He 
came  out  just  after  the  business  of  the  Armada,  and  fell 
in  the  fight  the  other  day  near  Wesel — a  mad  business  of 
Count  Philip  of  Nassau.  Horace  is  serving  with  his  troop. 
We  have  recovered  all  the  cities  in  the  three  provinces, 
and  Holland  is  now  virtually  rid  of  the  Spaniards. 

"  Things  have  greatly  changed  since  the  days  of  Sluys 
and  Bergen-op-Zoom.  Holland  has  increased  marvelously 
in  strength  and  wealth.  We  have  now  a  splendidly- 
organized  army,  and  should  not  fear  meeting  the  Spaniards 
in  the  open  field  if  they  would  but  give  the  chance  to  do 
so  in  anything  like  equal  numbers.  Sir  Francis  is  marshal 
of  our  army  here,  and  is  now  considered  the  ablest  of  our 
generals  ;  and  he  and  Prince  Maurice  have  never  yet  met 
with  a  serious  disaster.  But  how  have  you  escaped  the 
Inquisition  here,  Geoffrey  ?  I  thought  they  laid  hands  on 
every  heretic  ?  " 

"  So  they  do/'  Geoffrey  replied  ;  "  but  you  see  they  have 
never  dreamed  that  I  was  a  heretic.  The  English,  Irish, 
and  Scotchmen  here,  either  serving  in  the  army  or  living 
quietly  as  exiles,  are  of  course,  all  Catholics,  and  as  they 
suppose  me  to  be  one  of  them,  it  does  not  seem  to  have 
entered  their  minds  that  I  was  a  Protestant.  Since  I  have 
been  here  I  have  gone  with  my  wife  and  father-in-law  to 
church,  and  have  said  my  prayers  in  my  own  way  while 
they  have  said  theirs.  I  cannot  say  I  have  liked  it,  but  as 
there  was  no  church  of  my  own  it  did  not  go  against  my 
conscience  to  kneel  in  theirs.  I  can  tell  you  that,  after 
being  for  nearly  a  couple  of  years  a  slave  among  the  Moors, 
one  thinks  less  of  these  distinctions  than  one  used  to  do. 
Had  the  Inquisition  laid  hands  on  me  and  questioned  me, 
I  should  at  once  have  declared  myself  a  Protestant ;  but 
as  long  as  I  was  not  questioned  I  thought  it  no  harm  to 


338  B  F  ENGLAND '  S  AID. 

go  quietly  and  pay  my  devotions  in  a  church,  even  though 
there  were  many  things  in  that  church  with  which  1  wholly 
disagreed. 

"Dolores  and  I  have  talked  the  matter  over  often,  and 
have  arrived  at  the  conclusion  long  since  that  there  is  no 
such  great  difference  between  us  as  would  lead  us  to  hate 
each  other." 

Lionel  laughed. 

"  I  suppose  we  generally  see  matters  as  we  want  to,  Geof 
frey  ;  but  it  will  be  rather  a  shock  to  our  good  father  and 
mother  when  you  bring  them  home  a  Catholic  daughter. " 

"  I  daresay  when  she  has  once  settled  in  England  among 
us,  Lionel,  she  will  turn  round  to  our  views  on  the  subject  ; 
not  that  I  should  ever  try  to  convert  her,  but  it  will  likely 
enough  come  of  itself.  Of  course,  she  has  been  brought 
up  with  the  belief  that  heretics  are  very  terrible  people. 
She  has  naturally  grown  out  of  that  belief  now,  and  is  ready 
to  admit  that  there  may  be  good  heretics  as  well  as  good 
Catholics,  which  is  a  long  step  for  a  Spanish  woman  to  take. 
I  have  no  fear  but  that  the  rest  will  come  in  time.  At 
present  I  have  most  carefully  abstained  from  talking  with 
her  on  the  subject.  When  she  is  once  in  England  I  shall 
be  able  to  talk  to  her  freely  without  endangering  her  life 
by  doing  so." 

Upon  the  following  morning  Sir  Francis  Vere  break 
fasted  with  Geoffrey,  and  then  he  and  Lionel  heard  the  full 
account  of  his  adventures,  and  the  manner  in  which  it  came 
about  that  he  was  found  established  as  a  merchant  in 
Cadiz. 

They  then  talked  over  the  situation.  Sir  Francis  was 
much  vexed  that  the  lord-admiral  had  not  complied  with 
the  earnest  request  the  Earl  of  Essex  had  sent  him,  as  soon 
as  he  landed,  to  take  prompt  measures  for  the  pursuit  and 
capture  of  the  merchant  ships.  Instead  of  doing  this,  the 
admiral,  considering  the  force  that  had  landed  to  be  dan 
gerously  weak,  had  sent  large  reinforcements  on  shore  as 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  339 

BOOH  as  the  boats  came  off,  and  the  consequence  was  that 
\t  dawn  that  morning  masses  of  smoke  rising  from  the 
Puerto  Real  showed  that  the  Duke  of  Medina-Sidonia  had 
set  the  merchant  ships  on  fire  rather  than  that  they  should 
fall  into  the  hands  of  the  English. 

For  a  fortnight  the  captors  of  Cadiz  remained  in  posses 
sion.  Senor  Mendez  had,  upon  the  day  after  their  entry, 
discussed  the  future  with  Geoffrey.  To  the  latters  great 
satisfaction  he  took  it  for  granted  that  his  son-in-law  would 
sail  with  Dolores  and  the  children  in  the  English  fleet, 
and  he  at  once  entered  into  arrangements  with  him  for  his 
undertaking  the  management  of  the  business  of  the  firm 
in  England  and  Holland. 

"  Had  I  wound  up  my  affairs  I  should  accompany  you 
at  once,  for  Dolores  is  everything  to  me,  and  you,  Geoffrey, 
have  also  a  large  share  of  my  affection  ;  but  this  is  impos 
sible.  We  have  at  present  all  our  fifteen  ships  at  sea,  and 
these  on  their  return  to  port  would  be  confiscated  at  once 
were  I  to  leave.  Besides,  there  are  large  transactions  open 
with  the  merchants  at  Seville  and  elsewhere.  Therefore  I 
must,  for  the  present  at  any  rate,  remain  here.  I  .shall 
incur  no  odium  by  your  departure.  It  will  be  supposed 
that  you  have  reconciled  yourself  with  your  government, 
and  your  going  home  will  therefore  seem  only  natural ; 
and  it  will  be  seen  that  I  could  not,  however  much  I  were 
inclined,  interfere  to  prevent  the  departure  of  Dolores  and 
the  children  with  you. 

"  I  propose  to  send  on  board  your  ships  the  greater  por 
tion  of  my  goods  here  suitable  for  your  market.  This, 
again,  will  not  excite  bad  feelings,  as  I  shall  say  that  you 
as  my  partner  insisted  upon  your  right  to  take  your  share 
of  our  merchandise  back  to  England  with  you,  leaving  me 
as  my  portion  our  fleet  of  vessels.  Therefore,  all  will  go  on 
here  as  before.  I  shall  gradually  reduce  my  business  and 
dispose  of  the  ships,  transmitting  my  fortune  to  a  banker 
in  Brussels,  who  will  be  able  to  send  it  to  England  through 


340  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

merchants  in  Antwerp,  and  you  can  purchase  vessels  to 
replace  those  I  sell. 

"  I  calculate  that  it  will  take  me  a  year  to  complete  all 
my  arrangements.  After  that  I  shall  again  sail  for  Italy, 
and  shall  come  to  England  either  by  sea  or  by  traveling 
through  Germany,  as  circumstances  may  dictate.  On 
arriving  in  London  I  shall  know  where  to  find  you,  for  by 
that  time  you  will  be  well  known  there  ;  and  at  any  rate 
the  bankers  to  whom  my  money  is  sent  will  be  able  to  in 
form  me  of  your  address." 

These  arrangements  were  carried  out,  and  at  the  depart 
ure  of  the  fleet,  Geoffrey,  with  Dolores  and  the  children, 
sailed  in  Sir  Francis  Vere's  ship  the  Rainbow,  Sir  Francis 
having  insisted  on  giving  up  his  own  cabin  for  the  use  of 
Dolores.  On  leaving  Cadiz  the  town  was  fired,  and  the 
cathedral,  the  church  of  the  Jesuits,  the  nunneries  of  Santa 
Maria  and  Candelaria,  two  hundred  and  ninety  houses, 
and,  greatest  loss  of  all,  the  library  of  the  Jesuits,  contain 
ing  invaluable  manuscripts  respecting  the  Incas  of  Peru, 
were  destroyed. 

The  destruction  of  the  Spanish  fleet,  and  the  enormous 
loss  caused  by  the  burning  of  Cadiz  and  the  loss  of  the  rich 
merchant  fleet,  struck  a  terrible  blow  at  the  power  and  re 
sources  of  Spain.  Her  trade  never  recovered  from  its 
effects,  and  her  prestige  suffered  very  greatly  in  the  eyes 
of  Europe.  Philip  never  rallied  from  the  blow  to  his  pride 
inflicted  by  this  humiliation. 

Lionel  had  at  first  been  almost  shocked  to  find  that  Geof 
frey  had  married  a  Spanish  woman  and  a  Catholic  ;  but 
the  charming  manner  of  Dolores,  her  evident  desire  to 
please,  and  the  deep  affection  with  which  she  regarded  her 
husband,  soon  won  his  heart.  He,  Sir  Francis  Vere,  and 
the  other  officers  and  volunteers  on  board,  vied  with  each 
other  in  attention  to  her  during  the  voyage  ;  and  Dolores, 
who  had  hitherto  been  convinced  that  Geoffrey  was  a 
strange  exception  to  the  rule  that  all  Englishmen  were 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  841 

rough  and  savage  animals,  and  who  looked  forward  with 
much  secret  dread  to  taking  up  her  residence  among  them, 
was  quite  delighted,  and  assured  Geoffrey  she  was  at  last 
Convinced  that  all  she  had  heard  to  the  disadvantage  of  his 
countrymen  was  wholly  untrue. 

The  fleet  touched  at  Plymouth,  where  the  news  of  the 
immense  success  they  had  gained  was  received  with  great 
rejoicings ;  and  after  taking  in  fresh  water  and  stores, 
they  proceeded  along  the  coast  and  anchored  in  the  mouth 
of  the  Thames.  Here  the  greater  part  of  the  fleet  was  dis 
banded,  the  Rainbow  and  a  few  other  vessels  sailing  up  to 
Greenwich,  where  the  captains  and  officers  were  received 
with  great  honor  by  the  queen,  and  were  feasted  and  made 
much  of  by  the  city. 

The  brothers,  the  day  after  the  ship  cast  anchor,  pro 
ceeded  to  town,  and  there  hired  horses  for  their  journey 
down  into  Essex.  This  was  accomplished  in  two  days, 
Geoffrey  riding  with  Dolores  on  a  pillion  behind  him  with 
her  baby  in  her  lap,  while  young  Lionel  was  on  the  saddle 
before  his  uncle. 

When  they  approached  Hedinghani  Lionel  said,  "  I  had 
best  ride  forward  Geoffrey,  to  break  the  news  to  them  of 
your  coming.  Although  our  mother  has  always  declared 
that  she  would  not  give  up  hope  that  you  would  some  day 
be  restored  to  us,  they  have  now  really  mourned  you  as 
dead." 

"  Very  well,  Lionel.  It  is  but  a  mile  or  so  ;  I  will  dis 
mount  and  put  the  boy  up  in  the  saddle  and  walk  beside 
him,  and  we  shall  be  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour  after  you." 

The  delight  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Yickars  on  hearing  Geoffrey 
was  alive  and  close  at  hand  was  so  great  that  the  fact  he 
brought  home  a  Spanish  wife,  which  would  under  other 
circumstances  have  been  a  great  shock  to  them,  was  now 
scarcely  felt,  and  when  the  rapturous  greeting  with  which 
he  was  received  on  his  arrival  was  over,  they  welcomed  his 
pretty  young  wife  with  a  degree  of  warmth  which  fully 


842  BY  ENGLAND  'S  AID. 

satisfied  him.  Her  welcome  was,  of  course,  in  the  first 
place  as  Geoffrey's  wife,  but  in  a  very  short  time  his  father 
and  mother  both  came  to  love  her  for  herself,  and  Dolores 
very  quickly  found  herself  far  happier  at  Hedingham 
Rectory  than  she  had  thought  she  could  be  away  from 
her  native  Spain. 

The  announcement  Geoffrey  made  shortly  after  his  ar 
rival,  that  he  had  altogether  abandoned  the  trade  of  soldier 
ing,  and  should  in  future  make  his  home  in  London,  trading 
in  conjunction  with  his  father-in-law,  assisted  to  reconcile 
them  tc  his  marriage.  After  a  fortnight's  stay  at  Heding 
ham  Geoffrey  went  up  to  London,  and  there  took  a  house 
in  the  city,  purchased  several  vessels,  and  entered  upon 
business,  being  unable  to  take  at  once  a  good  position  among 
the  merchants  of  London,  thanks  to  the  ample  funds  with 
which  he  was  provided. 

Two  months  later  he  went  down  to  Essex  and  brought  up 
Dolores  and  the  children,  and  established  them  in  his  new 
abode. 

The  apprenticeship  he  had  served  in  trade  at  Cadiz  en 
abled  Geoffrey  to  start  with  confidence  in  his  business.  He 
at  once  notified  all  the  correspondents  of  the  firm  in  the 
different  ports  of  Europe,  that  in  future  the  business  carried 
on  by  Signor  Juan  Mendez  at  Cadiz  would  have  its  head 
quarters  in  London,  and  that  the  firm  would  trade  with  all 
ports  with  the  exception  of  those  of  Spain.  The  result  was 
that  before  many  months  had  elapsed  there  were  few  houses 
in  London  doing  a  larger  trade  with  the  Continent  than 
that  of  Mendez  and  Vickars,  under  which  title  they  had 
traded  from  the  time  of  Geoffrey's  marriage  with  Dolores. 


3  T  ENGLAND '  8  AID.  343 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

THE  BATTLE  OF  NIEUPORT. 

THE  year  after  the  capture  of  Cadiz,  Lionel  Vickars 
sailed  under  Sir  Francis  Vere  with  the  expedition  designed 
to  attack  the  fleet  which  Philip  of  Spain  had  gathered 
in  Ferrol,  with  the  intention,  it  was  believed,  of  invading 
Ireland  in  retaliation  for  the  disaster  at  Cadiz.  The  ex 
pedition  met  with  terrible  weather  in  the  Bay  of  Biscay, 
and  put  back  scattered  and  disabled  to  Plymouth  and  Fal- 
mouth.  In  August  they  again  sailed,  but  were  so  battered 
by  another  storm  that  the  expedition  against  Ferrol  was 
abandoned,  and  they  sailed  to  the  Azores.  There,  after  a 
skirmish  with  the  Spaniards,  they  scattered  among  the 
islands,  but  missed  the  great  Spanish  fleet  laden  with  silver 
from  the  west,  and  finally  returned  to  England  without 
having  accomplished  anything,  while  they  suffered  from 
another  tempest  on  their  way  home,  and  reached  Plymouth 
with  difficulty. 

Fortunately  the  same  storm  scattered  and  destroyed  the 
great  Spanish  fleet  at  Ferrol,  and  the  weather  thus  for  the 
second  time  saved  England  from  invasion.  Late  in  the 
autumn,  after  his  return  from  the  expedition,  Sir  Francis 
Vere  went  over  to  Holland,  and  by  his  advice  Prince 
Maurice  prepared  in  December  to  attack  a  force  of  4000 
Spanish  infantry  and  600  cavalry,  which,  under  the  com 
mand  of  the  Count  of  Varras,  had  gathered  at  the  village 
of  Turnhout,  twenty  miles  from  Breda. 

A  force  of  5000  foot  and  800  horse  were  secretly  assembled 
at  Gertruydenberg.  Sir  Francis  Vere  brought  an  English 


344  B  Y  ENGLAND '  S  AID. 

regiment,  and  personally  commanded  one  of  the  two  troops 
into  which  the  English  cavalry  was  divided.  Sir  Robert 
Sidney  came  with  300  of  the  English  garrison  at  Flushing, 
and  Sir  Alexander  Murray  with  a  Scotch  regiment.  The 
expedition  started  on  the  23d  of  January,  1598,  and  after 
marching  twenty-four  miles  reached  the  village  of  Rivels, 
three  miles  from  Tnrnhout,  two  hours  after  dark. 

The  night  was  bitter  cold,  and  after  cooking  supper  the 
men  wrapped  themselves  up  in  their  cloaks,  and  lay  down  on 
the  frozen  ground  until  daybreak.  The  delay,  although 
necessary,  enabled  the  enemy  to  make  their  escape.  The 
news  that  the  allies  had  arrived  close  at  hand  reached  Count 
Varras  at  midnight,  and  a  retreat  was  at  once  ordered. 
Baggage  wagons  were  packed  and  despatched,  escorted  by 
the  cavalry,  and  before  dawn  the  whole  force  was  well  on 
its  road.  Prince  Maurice  had  set  off  an  hour  before  day 
break,  and  on  reaching  Turnhout  found  that  the  rear-guard 
of  the  enemy  had  just  left  the  village.  They  had  broken 
down  the  wooden  bridge  across  the  River  Aa,  only  one 
plank  being  left  standing,  and  had  stationed  a  party  to 
defend  it. 

Maurice  held  a  hasty  council  of  war.  All,  with  the  ex 
ception  of  Sir  Franeis  Vere  and  Sir  Marcellus  Bacx,  were 
against  pursuit,  but  Maurice  took  the  advice  of  the  minority. 
Vere  with  two  hundred  Dutch  musketeers  advanced  against 
the  bridge  ;  his  musketry  fire  drove  off  the  guard,  and  with 
a  few  mounted  officers  and  the  two  hundred  musketeers  he 
set  out  in  pursuit.  He  saw  that  the  enemy's  infantry  were 
marching  but  slowly,  and  guessed  that  they  were  delayed 
by  the  baggage  wagons  in  front. 

The  country  was  wooded,  and  he  threw  the  musketeers 
among  the  trees  with  orders  to  keep  up  a  dropping  fire, 
while  he  himself  with  sixteen  horsemen  followed  closely 
upon  the  enemy  along  the  road.  Their  rear  guard  kept  up 
a  skirmishing  fire,  slightly  wounding  Vere  in  the  leg  ;  but 
all  this  caused  delay,  and  it  was  three  hours  before  they 


B  T  ENGLAND '  S  A  ID.  845 

emerged  on  an  open  heath,  three  miles  from  the  bridge, 
Vere  placed  his  musketeers  among  some  woods  and  inclosed 
fields  on  the  left  of  the  heath,  and  ordered  them  to  keep 
up  a  brisk  fire  and  to  show  themselves  as  if  advancing  tc 
the  attack.  He  himself,  reinforced  by  some  more  horse 
men  who  had  come  up,  continued  to  follow  in  the  open. 

The  heath  was  three  miles  across,  and  Vere,  constantly 
skirmishing  with  the  Spanish  infantry,  who  were  formed  in 
four  solid  squares,  kept  watching  for  the  appearance  of  Mau 
rice  and  the  cavalry.  At  length  these  came  in  sight.  Vere 
galloped  up  to  the  prince,  and  urged  that  a  charge  should 
be  made  at  once.  The  prince  assented.  Vere,  with  the 
English  cavalry,  charged  down  upon  the  rear  of  the  squares, 
while  Hohenlohe  swept  down  with  the  Dutch  cavalry  upon 
their  flanks.  The  Spanish  musketeers  fired  and  at  once 
fled,  and  the  cavalry  dashed  in  among  the  squares  of  pike- 
men  and  broke  them. 

Several  of  the  companies  of  horse  galloped  on  in  pursuit 
of  the  enemy's  horse  and  baggage.  Vere  saw  that  these 
would  be  repulsed,  and  formed  up  the  English  cavalry  to 
cover  their  retreat.  In  a  short  time  the  disordered  horse 
came  back  at  full  gallop,  pursued  by  the  Spanish  cavalry, 
but  these,  seeing  Vere's  troops  ready  to  receive  them,  re 
treated  at  once.  Count  Varras  was  slain,  together  with 
three  hundred  of  the  Spanish  infantry.  Six  hundred  pris 
oners  were  taken,  and  thirty-eight  colors  fell  into  the 
victor's  hands. 

The  success  was  gained  entirely  by  the  eight  hundred 
allied  horse,  the  infantry  never  arriving  upon  the  field. 
The  brilliant  little  victory,  which  was  one  of  the  first  gained 
by  the  allies  in  the  open  field,  was  the  cause  of  great  re 
joicings.  Not  only  were  the  Spaniards  no  longer  invinci 
ble,  but  they  had  been  routed  by  a  force  but  one-sixth  of 
their  own  number,  and  the  battle  showed  how  greatly  the 
individual  prowess  of  the  two  peoples  had  changed  during 
the  progress  of  the  war. 


346  B Y  ENGLAND '  S  AID. 

The  Archduke  Ernest  had  died  in  1595,  and  had  been 
succeeded  by  the  Archduke  Albert  in  the  government  of 
the  Netherlands.  He  had  with  him  no  generals  compara 
ble  with  Parma,  or  even  with  Alva.  His  troops  had  lost 
their  faith  in  themselves  and  their  contempt  for  their 
foes.  Holland  was  grown  rich  and  prosperous,  while  the 
enormous  expenses  of  carrying  on  the  war  both  in  the 
Netherlands  and  in  France,  together  with  the  loss  of  the 
Armada,  the  destruction  of  the  great  fleet  at  Ferrol,  and 
the  capture  of  Cadiz  and  the  ships  there,  had  exhausted 
the  resources  of  Spain,  and  Philip  was  driven  to  make 
advances  for  peace  to  France  and  England.  Henry  IV., 
knowing  that  peace  with  Spain  meant  an  end  of  the  civil 
war  that  had  so  long  exhausted  France,  at  once  accepted 
the  terms  of  Philip,  and  made  a  separate  peace,  in  spite  of 
the  remonstrances  of  the  ambassadors  of  England  and 
Holland,  to  both  of  which  countries  he  owed  it  in  no 
small  degree  that  he  had  been  enabled  to  support  himself 
against  the  faction  of  the  Guises  backed  by  the  power  of 
Spain. 

A  fresh  treaty  was  made  between  England  and  the 
Netherlands,  Sir  Francis  Vere  being  sent  out  as  special 
ambassador  to  negotiate.  England  was  anxious  for  peace, 
but  would  not  desert  the  Netherlands  if  they  on  their  part 
would  relieve  her  to  some  extent  of  the  heavy  expenses 
caused  by  the  war.  This  the  states  consented  to  do,  and 
the  treaty  was  duly  signed  on  both  sides.  A  few  days  be 
fore  its  conclusion  Lord  Burleigh,  who  had  been  Queen 
Elizabeth's  chief  adviser  for  forty  years,  died,  and  within 
a  month  of  its  signature  Philip  of  Spain,  whose  schemes 
he  had  so  long  opposed  followed  him  to  the  grave. 

On  the  6th  of  the  previous  May  Philip  had  formally  ceded 
the  Netherlands  to  his  daughter  Isabella,  between  whom 
and  the  Archduke  Albert  a  marriage  had  been  arranged. 
This  took  place  on  the  18th  of  April  following,  shortly 
after  his  death.  It  was  celebrated  at  Valencia,  and  at  the 


B  T  ENGLAND '  S  AID.  347 

same  time  King  Philip  III.  was  united  to  Margaret  of  Aus 
tria. 

In  the  course  of  1599  there  was  severe  fighting  on  the 
swampy  island  between  the  rivers  Waal  and  Maas,  kziown 
as  the  Bommel-Waat,  and  a  fresh  attempt  at  invasion  by 
the  Spaniards  was  repulsed  with  heavy  loss,  Sir  Francis 
Vere  and  the  English  troops  taking  a  leading  part  in  the 
operations. 

The  success  thus  gained  decided  the  States-general  to  un 
dertake  an  offensive  campaign  in  the  following  year.  The 
plan  they  decided  upon  was  opposed  both  by  prince  Maurice 
and  Sir  Francis  Vere  as  being  altogether  too  hazardous  ;  but 
the  States,  who  upon  most  occasions  were  averse  to  any 
thing  like  bold  action,  upon  the  present  occasion  stood 
firm  to  their  decision.  Their  plan  was  to  land  an  army 
near  Ostend,  which  was  held  by  the  English,  and  to  besiege 
the  town  of  Nieuport,  west  of  Ostend,  and  after  that  to 
attack  Dunkirk.  In  the  opinion  of  the  two  generals  an 
offensive  operation  direct  from  Holland  would  have  been 
far  preferable,  as  in  case  of  disaster  the  army  could  fall 
back  upon  one  of  their  fortified  towns^  whereas,  if  beaten 
upon  the  coast,  they  might  be  cut  off  from  Ostend  and  en 
tirely  destroyed.  However,  their  opinions  were  overruled, 
and  the  expedition  prepared. 

It  consisted  of  12,000  infantry,  1GOO  cavalry,  and  10  guns. 
It  was  formed  into  three  divisions.  The  van,  4500  strong, 
including  1GOO  English  veterans,  was  commanded  by  Sir 
Francis  Vere  ;  the  second  division  by  Count  Everard 
Solms  ;  the  rear  division  by  Count  Ernest  of  Nassau  ; 
while  Count  Louis  Gunther  of  Nassau  was  in  command 
of  the  cavalry.  The  army  embarked  at  Flushing  and 
landed  at  Philippine,  a  town  at  the  head  of  the  Braake- 
man  inlet. 

There  was  at  the  time  only  a  small  body  of  Spaniards  in 
the  neighborhood,  but  as  soon  as  the  news  reached  the 
Archduke  Albert  at  Brussels  he  concentrated  his  army 


348  BY  ENGLAND'S  AIjj. 

round  Ghent.  The  troops  hud  for  some  time  been  in  A 
mutinous  state,  but,  as  was  always  the  case  with  them, 
they  returned  to  their  habits  of  military  obedience  the 
moment  danger  threatened. 

The  Dutch  army  advanced  by  rapid  inarches  to  the 
neighborhood  of  Ostend,  and  captured  the  fort  and  redoubt* 
which  the  Spaniards  had  raised  to  prevent  its  garrison  from 
undertaking  offensive  operations. 

Two  thousand  men  were  left  to  garrison  these  important 
positions,  which  lay  on  the  line  of  march  which  the  Span 
iards  must  take  coming  from  Bruges  to  Nieuport.  The 
rest  of  the  army  then  made  their  way  across  the  country, 
intersected  with  ditches,  and  upon  the  following  day 
arrived  before  Nieuport  and  prepared  to  besiege  it.  The 
Dutch  fleet  had  arrived  off  the  to\vn,  and  co-operated  with 
the  army  in  building  a  bridge  across  the  little  river,  and 
preparing  for  the  siege. 

Towards  the  evening,  however,  the  news  arrived  from 
Ostend,  nine  miles  away,  that  a  large  force  of  the  enemy 
had  appeared  before  one  of  the  forts  just  captured.  Most 
of  the  officers  were  of  opinion  that  the  Spanish  force  was 
not  a  large  one,  and  that  it  was  a  mere  feint  to  induce  the 
Dutch  to  abandon  the  siege  of  Nieuport  and  return  to  Os 
tend.  Sir  Francis  Vere  maintained  that  it  was  the  main 
body  of  the  archduke's  army,  and  advised  Maurice  to  march 
back  at  once  with  his  whole  force  to  attack  the  enemy 
before  they  had  time  to  take  the  forts. 

Later  on  in  the  evening,  however,  two  of  the  messengers 
arrived  with  the  news  that  the  forts  had  surrendered. 
Prince  Maurice  then,  in  opposition  to  Vere's  advice,  sent 
off  2500  infantry,  500  horse,  and  2  guns,  under  the  com 
mand  of  Ernest  of  Nassau,  to  prevent  the  enemy  from 
crossing  the  low  ground  between  Ostend  and  the  sand 
hills,  Vere  insisting  that  the  whole  army  ought  to  move. 
It  fell  out  exactly  as  he  predicted  ;  the  detachment  met 
the  whole  Spanish  army,  and  broke  and  fled  at  the  first 


B  T  ENGLAND '  8  AID.  349 

fire,  and  thus  2500  men  were  lost  in  addition  to  the  2000 
who  had  been  left  to  garrison  the  forts. 

At  break  of  day  the  army  marched  down  to  the  creek, 
and  as  soon  as  the  water  had  ebbed  sufficiently,  waded  across 
and  took  up  their  position  among  the  sand-hills  on  the 
seashore.  The  enemy's  army  was  already  in  sight,  march 
ing  along  on  the  narrow  strip  of  land  between  the  foot  of 
fche  dunes  and  the  sea.  A  few  hundred  yards  towards  Os- 
tend  the  sand-hills  narrowed,  and  here  Sir  Francis  Vere 
took  up  his  position  with  his  division.  He  placed  a 
thousand  picked  men,  consisting  of  250  English,  250  of 
Prince  Maurice's  guard,  and  500  musketeers,  partly  upon 
two  sand-hills  called  the  East  and  "West  Hill,  and  partly 
in  the  bottom  between  them,  where  they  were  covered  by 
a  low  ridge  connecting  the  two  hills. 

The  five  hundred  musketeers  were  placed  so  that  their 
fire  swept  the  ground  on  the  south,  by  which  alone  the 
enemy's  cavalry  could  pass  on  that  side.  On  the  other 
ridge,  facing  the  sea,  were  seven  hundred  English  pikemen 
and  musketeers  ;  two  hundred  and  fifty  English  and  fifty 
of  the  guard  held  the  position  of  East  Hill,  which  was  most 
exposed  to  the  attack.  The  rest  of  the  division,  which 
consisted  of  six  hundred  and  fifty  English  and  two  thou 
sand  Dutch,  were  placed  in  readiness  to  reinforce  the  ad 
vanced  party.  Half  the  cavalry,  under  Count  Louis,  were 
on  the  right  of  the  dunes,  and  the  other  half,  under  Mar- 
cellus  Bacx,  on  the  left  by  the  sea. 

The  division  of  Count  Solms  and  Count  Ernest  of 
Nassau  were  also  on  the  seashore  in  the  rear  of  West  Hill. 
A  council  of  war  was  held  to  decide  whether  the  army 
should  advance  to  the  attack  or  await  it.  Vere  advised 
the  latter  course,  and  his  advice  was  adopted. 

The  archduke's  army  consisted  of  ten  thousand  infantry, 
sixteen  hundred  horse,  and  six  guns.  Marshal  Zapena  was 
in  command,  while  the  cavalry  were  led  by  the  Admiral  of 
Aragon.  They  rested  for  two  hours  before  advancing — 


350  B  Y  ENGLAND ' 8  AID. 

waiting  until  the  rise  of  the  tide  should  render  the  sands 
unserviceable  for  cavalry,  their  main  reliance  being  upon 
their  infantry.  Their  cavalry  led  the  advance,  but  the  two 
guns  Vere  had  placed  on  West  hill  plied  them  so  hotly 
with  the  shot  that  they  fell  back  in  confusion. 

It  was  now  high  tide,  and  there  were  but  thirty 
yards  between  the  sea  and  the  sand-hills.  The  Spaniards 
therefore  marched  their  infantry  into  the  dunes,  while  the 
cavalry  prepared  to  advance  between  the  sand-hills  and 
the  cultivated  fields  inland.  The  second  and  third  divis 
ions  of  Maurice's  army  also  moved  away  from  the  shore 
inland.  They  now  numbered  but  three  thousand  men, 
as  the  four  thousand  five  hundred  who  had  been  lost  be 
longed  entirely  to  these  divisions,  Sir  Francis  Vere's  divis- 
siou  having  been  left  intact.  It  was  upon  the  fii'st  divis- 
sion  that  the  whole  brunt  of  the  battle  fell,  they  receiving 
some  assistance  from  the  thousand  men  remaining  under 
Count  Solms  that  were  posted  next  to  them  ;  while  the 
rear  division  was  never  engaged  at  all. 

At  half -past  two  o'clock  on  the  afternoon  of  the  2d  of 
June,  1 600,  the  battle  began.  Vere's  plan  was  to  hold  his 
advanced  position  as  long  as  possible,  bring  the  reserves 
up  as  required  until  he  had  worn  out  the  Spaniards,  then 
to  send  for  the  other  two  divisions  and  to  fall  upon  them. 
The  company  of  Lionel  Vickars  formed  part  of  the  three 
hundred  men  stationed  on  the  East  Hill,  where  Vere  also 
had  taken  up  his  position.  After  an  exchange  of  fire  for 
some  time  five  hundred  picked  Spanish  infantry  rushed 
across  the  hollow  between  the  two  armies,  and  charged 
the  hill.  For  half-an-hour  a  desperate  struggle  took 
place  ;  the  Spaniards  were  then  obliged  to  fall  back  behind 
some  low  ridges  at  its  foot. 

In  the  meantime  the  enemy's  cavalry  had  advanced 
along  the  grass-grown  tract,  a  hundred  and  fifty  yards 
wide,  between  the  foot  of  the  dunes  and  the  cultivated 
country  inland.  They  were  received,  however,  by  BO  hot 


VERE'S  HORSE  SHOT  UNDER  HIM  AT  THE  FIGHT  BEFORE  OSTEND.— Pag«  351. 
EnC.  Aid  ] 


B  T  ENGLAND ' S  AID.  351 

a  fire  by  the  five  hundred  musketeers  posted  by  Vere  in 
the  sand-hills  on  their  flank,  and  by  the  two  cannon  on 
West  Hill,  that  they  fell  back  upon  their  infantry  just  as 
the  Dutch  horse,  under  Count  Louis,  advanced  to  charge 
them. 

Vere  sent  orders  to  a  hundred  Englishmen  to  move 
round  from  the  ridge  and  to  attack  the  Spaniards  who  had 
fallen  back  from  the  attack  of  East  Hill,  on  their  flank, 
while  sixty  men  charged  down  the  hilLand  engaged  them 
in  front.  The  Spaniards  broke  and  fled  back  to  their  main 
body.  Then,  being  largely  reinforced,  they  advanced  and 
seized  a  sandy  knoll  near  West  Hill.  Here  they  were  at 
tacked  by  the  English,  and  after  a  long  and  obstinate  fight 
forced  to  retire.  The  whole  of  the  Spanish  force  now 
advanced,  and  tried  to  drive  the  English  back  from  their 
position  on  the  low  ridge  across  the  bottom  connecting  the 
two  hills.  The  seven  hundred  men  were  drawn  from  the 
north  ridge,  and  as  the  fight  grew  hotter  the  whole  of  the 
sixteen  hundred  English  were  brought  up. 

Yere  sent  for  reinforcements,  but  none  came  up,  and 
for  hours  the  sixteen  hundred  Englishmen  alone  checked 
the  advance  of  the  whole  of  the  Spanish  army.  Sir  Francis 
Vere  was  fighting  like  a  private  soldier  in  the  midst  of  his 
troops.  He  received  two  balls  in  the  leg,  but  still  kept 
his  seat  and  encouraged  his  men.  At  last  the  little  band, 
receiving  no  aid  or  reinforcements  from  the  Dutch,  were 
forced  to  fall  back.  As  they  did  so,  Vere's  horse  fell  dead 
under  him  and  partly  upon  him,  and  it  was  with  great 
difficulty  that  those  around  him  extricated  him.  On 
reaching  the  battery  on  the  sands  Vere  found  the  thousand 
Dutch  of  his  division,  who  asserted  that  they  had  received 
no  orders  to  advance.  There  were  also  three  hundred  foot 
under  Sir  Horace  Vere  and  some  cavalry  under  Captain 
Ball.  These  and  Horace's  infantry  at  once  charged  the 
Spaniards,  who  were  pouring  out  from  the  sand-hills  near 
to  the  beach,  and  drove  them  back. 


352  BY  ENGLA ND '  S  AID. 

The  Spaniards  had  now  captured  East  Hill,  and  two 
thousand  of  their  infantry  advanced  into  the  valley  beyond, 
and  drove  back  the  musketeers  from  the  south  ridge,  and 
a  large  force  advanced  along  the  green  way  ;  but  their 
movements  were  slow,  for  they  were  worn  out  by  their  long 
struggle,  and  the  English  officers  had  time  to  rally  their 
men  again.  Horace  Vere  returned  from  his  charge  on  the 
beach,  and  other  companies  rallied  and  joined  him,  and 
charged  furiously  down  upon  the  two  thousand  Spaniards. 
The  whole  of  the  Dutch  and  English  cavalry  also  advanced. 
Solms's  thousand  men  came  up  and  took  part  in  the  action, 
and  the  batteries  plied  the  Spaniards  with  their  shot.  The 
latter  had  done  all  they  could,  and  were  confounded  by 
this  fresh  attack  when  they  had  considered  the  victory  as 
won.  In  spite  of  the  efforts  of  their  officers  they  broke 
and  fled  in  all  directions.  The  archduke  headed  their 
flight,  and  never  drew  rein  until  he  reached  Brussels. 

Zapena  and  the  Admiral  of  Arragon  were  both  taken 
prisoners,  and  about  a  third  of  the  Spanisn  army  killed 
and  wounded.  Of  the  sixteen  hundred  English  half  were 
killed  or  wounded  ;  while  the  rest  of  the  Dutch  army  suf 
fered  scarcely  any  loss — a  fact  that  shows  clearly  to  whom 
the  honor  of  the  victory  belongs.  Prince  Maurice,  in  his 
letter  to  the  queen,  attributed  his  success  entirely  to  the 
good  order  and  directions  of  Sir  Francis  Vere.  Thus,  in  a 
pitched  battle  the  English  troops  met  and  defeated  an 
army  of  six  times  their  strength  of  the  veterans  of  Spain, 
and  showed  conclusively  that  the  English  fighting  men  had 
in  no  way  deteriorated  since  the  days  of  Agincourt,  the 
last  great  battle  they  had  fought  upon  the  Continent. 

The  battle  at  Nieuport  may  be  considered  to  have  set 
the  final  seal  upon  the  independence  of  Holland.  The 
lesson  first  taught  at  Turnhout  had  now  been  impressed 
with  crushing  force.  The  Spaniards  were  no  longer  in 
vincible  ;  they  had  been  twice  signally  defeated  in  an  open 
field  by  greatly  inferior  forces.  Their  prestige  was  an- 


B  T  ENGLAND '  S  AIL.  353 

nihilated  ;  and  although  a  war  continued,  there  was  no 
longer  the  slightest  chance  that  the  result  of  the  long  and 
bloody  struggle  would  be  reversed,  or  that  Spain  would  ever 
again  recover  her  grip  of  the  lost  provinces. 

Sir  Francis  Vere  was  laid  up  for  some  months  with  his 
wounds.  Among  the  officers  who  fought  under  him  at 
Nieuport  were  several  whose  names  were  to  become  famous 
for  the  part  they  afterwards  bore  in  the  civil  struggle  in 
England.  Among  others  were  Fairfax,  Ogle,  Lambart, 
and  Parker.  Among  those  who  received  the  honor  of 
knighthood  for  their  behavior  at  the  battle  was  Lionel 
Vickars.  He  had  been  severely  wounded  in  the  fight  at 
East  Hill,  and  was  sent  home  to  be  cured  there.  It  was 
some  months  before  he  again  took  the  field,  which  he  did 
upon  the  receipt  of  a  letter  from  Sir  Francis  Vere,  telling 
him  that  the  Spaniards  were  closing  in  in  great  force 
round  Ostend,  and  that  his  company  was  one  of  those  that 
had  been  sent  off  to  aid  in  the  defense  of  that  town. 

During  his  stay  in  England  he  had  spent  some  time  with 
Geoffrey  in  London.  Juan  Mendez  had  now  arrived  there, 
and  the  business  carried  on  by  him  and  Geoffrey  was 
flourishing  greatly.  Dolores  had  much  missed  the  out 
door  life  to  which  she  was  accustomed,  and  her  father  had 
bought  a  large  house  with  a  fine  garden  in  Chelsea ;  and 
she  and  Geoffrey  were  now  installed  there  with  him, 
Geoffrey  going  to  and  fro  from  the  city  by  boat.  They  had 
now  replaced  the  Spanish  trading  vessels  by  an  equal 
number  of  English  craft ;  and  at  the  suggestion  of  Juan 
Mendez  himself  his  name  now  stood  second  to  that  of 
Geoffrey,  for  the  prejudice  against  foreigners  was  still 
strong  in  England. 
23 


354  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 


CHAPTER  XXIL 

OLD    FRIENDS. 

THE  succession  of  blows  that  had  been  given  to  the 
power  and  commerce  of  Spain  had  immensely  benefited 
the  trade  of  England  and  Holland.  France,  devastated 
by  civil  war,  had  been  in  no  position  to  take  advantage  of 
the  falling  off  in  Spanish  commerce,  and  had  indeed  her 
self  suffered  enormously  by  the  emigration  of  tens  of 
thousands  of  the  most  intelligent  of  her  population  owing 
to  her  persecution  of  the  Protestants.  Her  traders  and 
manufacturers  largely  belonged  to  the  new  religion,  and 
these  had  carried  their  industry  and  knowledge  to  Eng 
land  and  Holland.  Thus  the  religious  bigotry  of  the 
kings  of  Spain  and  France  had  resulted  in  enormous  loss 
to  the  trade  and  commerce  of  those  countries,  and  in  cor 
responding  advantage  to  their  Protestant  rivals. 

Geoffrey  Vicktrs  and  his  partner  reaped  the  full  benefit 
oi  the  change,  and  the  extensive  acquaintance  of  the 
Spanish  trader  with  merchants  in  all  the  Mediterranean 
ports  enabbd  him  to  turn  a  large  share  of  the  new  current 
of  trade  into  the  hands  of  Geoffrey  and  himself.  The 
capital  which  he  transferred  from  Spain  to  England  was 
very  much  larger  than  that  employed  by  the  majority  of 
English  merchants,  whose  wealth  had  been  small  indeed 
in  comparison  to  that  of  the  merchant  princes  of  the  great 
centers  of  trade  such  as  Antwerp,  Amsterdam,  Genoa, 
and  Cadiz,  and  Geoffrey  Vickars  soon  came  to  be  looked 
upon  as  one  of  the  leading  merchants  in  the  city  of  Lon 
don. 

"  There  can  be  no  doubt   Geoffrey/*  his  brother  said  as 


B  Y  ENGLAND '  S  AID.  355 

he  lay  on  a  couch  in  the  garden  in  the  early  days  of  his 
convalescence,  and  looked  at  the  river  dotted  with  boats 
that  flowed  past  it,  "  the  falling  of  that  mast  was  a  fortu 
nate  thing  for  you.  One  never  can  tell  how  things  will 
turn  out.  It  would  have  seemed  as  if,  were  you  not 
drowned  at  once,  your  lot  would  have  been  either  a  life's 
work  in  the  Spanish  galleys,  or  death  in  the  dungeons  of 
the  Inquisition.  Instead  of  this,  here  you  are  a  wealthy 
merchant  in  the  city,  with  a  charming  wife,  and  a  father- 
in-law  who  is,  although  a  Spaniard,  one  of  the  kindest 
and  best  men  I  ever  met.  All  this  time  I,  who  was  not 
knocked  over  by  that  mast,  have  been  drilling  recruits, 
making  long  marches,  and  occasionally  fighting  battles, 
and  am  no  richer  now  than  the  day  when  we  started  to 
gether  as  Francis  Vere's  pages.  It  is  true  I  have  received 
the  honor  of  knighthood,  and  that  of  course  I  prize  much  ; 
but  I  have  only  my  captain's  pay  to  support  my  dignity, 
and  as  I  hardly  think  Spain  will  continue  this  useless 
struggle  much  longer,  in  which  case  our.  army  in  Holland 
will  be  speedily  disbanded,  the  prospect  before  me  is  not 
altogether  an  advantageous  one." 

"  You  must  marry  an  heiress,  Lionel,"  Geoffrey 
laughed.  "  Surely  Sir  Lionel  Vickars,  one  of  the  heroes-of 
Nieuport,  and  many  another  field,  should  be  able  to  win  the 
heart  of  some  fair  English  damsel,  with  broad  acres  as 
her  dower.  But  seriously,  Lionel,"  he  went  on,  changing 
his  tone,  "  if  peace  come,  and  with  it  lack  of  employment, 
the  best  thing  for  yon  will  be  to  join  me.  Mendez  is  get 
ting  on  in  years  ;  and  although  he  is  working  hard  at 
present,  in  order,  as  he  says,  to  set  everything  going 
smoothly  and  well  here,  he  is  looking  forward  to  taking 
matters  more  easily,  and  to  spending  his  time  in  tranquil 
pleasure  with  Dolores  and  her  children.  Therefore,  when 
soever  it  pleases  you,  there  is  a  place  for  you  here.  We 
always  contemplated  our  lines  running  in  the  same  groove, 
and  I  should  be  glad  that  they  should  do  so  still.  When 


356  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

the  time  comes  we  can  discuss  what  share  you  shall  have 
of  the  business  ;  but  at  any  rate  I  can  promise  you  that 
it  shall  be  sufficient  to  make  you  a  rich  man." 

"  Thank  you,  with  all  my  heart,  Geoffrey.  It  may  be 
that  some  day  I  will  accept  your  offer,  though  I  fear  you 
will  find  me  but  a  sorry  assistant.  It  seems  to  me  that 
after  twelve  years  of  campaigning  I  am  little  fitted  for 
life  as  a  city  merchant." 

"  I  went  through  plenty  of  adventures  for  six  years, 
Lionel,  but  my  father-in-law  has  fr;>m  the  first  been  well 
satisfied  with  my  capacity  for  business.  You  are  not 
seven-and-twenty  yet.  You  have  had  enough  rough  cam 
paigning  to  satisfy  any  one,  and  should  be  glad  now  of  an 
easier  and  more  sober  method  of  life.  Well,  there  is  no 
occasion  to  settle  anything  at  present,  and  I  can  well  un 
derstand  that  you  should  prefer  remaining  in  the  army 
until  the  war  comes  to  an  end.  When  it  does  so,  we  can 
talk  the  matter  over  again  ;  only  be  well  assured  that  tbe 
offer  will  be  always  open  to  you,  and  that  I  shall  be  glad 
indeed  to  have  you  with  me/' 

A  few  days  later,  after  Lionel  left  him,  Geoffrey  was 
passing  along  Chepe,  when  he  stopped  suddenly,  stared 
hard  at  a  gentleman  who  was  approaching  him,  and  then 
rushed  towards  him  with  outstretched  hand. 

"  My  dear  Gerald ! "  he  exclaimed,  "  I  am  glad  to  see 
you." 

The  gentleman  started  back  with  an  expression  of  the 
profoundest  astonishment. 

"Is  it  possible  ?"  he  cried.  "  Is  it  really  Geoffry 
Vickars?" 

"Myself,  and  no  other,  Gerald." 

"  The  saints  be  praised  !  Why,  I  have  been  thinking 
of  you  all  these  years  as  either  dead  or  laboring  at  an  oar 
in  the  Moorish  galleys.  By  what  good  fortune  did  you 
escape  ?  and  how  is  it  I  find  you  here,  looking  for  all  the 
world  like  a  merchant  of  the  city  ?  n 


B  F  ENGLAND ' S  AID.  357 

"It  is  too  long  a  story  to  tell  now,  Gerald.  Where 
are  you  staying?" 

"I  have  lodgings  at  Westminster,  being  at  present  a 
suitor  at  court." 

" Is  your  wife  with  you?" 

"  She  is.  I  have  left  my  four  children  at  home  in  Ire 
land." 

"  Then  bring  her  to  sup  with  me  this  evening.  I  have 
a  wife  to  introduce  to  yours,  and  as  she  is  also  a  Spaniard 
it  will  doubtless  be  a  pleasure  to  them  both." 

"You  astound  me,  Geoffrey.  However,  you  shall  tell 
me  all  about  it  this  evening,  for  be  assured  that  we  shall 
come.  Inez  has  so  often  talked  about  you,  and  lamented 
the  ill-fortune  that  befell  you  owing  to  your  ardor." 

"At  six  o'clock,  then,"  Geoffrey  said.  "I  generally 
dwell  with  my  father-in-law  at  Chelsea,  but  am  just  at 
present  at  home.  My  house  is  in  St.  Mary  Axe  ;  any  one 
there  will  tell  you  which  it  is." 

That  evening  the  two  friends  had  a  long  talk  together. 
Geoffrey  learnt  that  Gerald  Burke  reached  Italy  without 
further  adventure,  and  thence  took  ship  to  Bristol,  and  so 
crossed  over  to  Ireland.  On  his  petition,  and  solemn 
promise  of  good  behavior  in  future,  he  was  pardoned  and  a 
small  portion  of  his  estate  restored  to  him.  He  was  now 
in  London  endeavoring  to  obtain  a  remission  of  the  for 
feiture  of  the  rest. 

"  I  may  be  able  to  help  you  in  that,"  Geoffrey  said, 
"  Sir  Francis  Vere  is  high  in  favor  at  court,  and  he  will, 
at  my  prayer,  I  feel  sure,  use  his  influence  in  your  favor 
when  I  tell  him  how  you  acted  my  friend  on  my  landing 
in  Spain  from  the  Armada." 

Geoffrey  then  gave  an  account  of  his  various  adventures 
from  the  time  when  he  was  struck  down  from  the  deck  of 
the  Barbary  corsair  until  the  present  time. 

"  How  was  it,"  he  asked  when  he  concluded,  "  that  yon 


858  B Y  ENGLAND '  8  AID. 

did  not  write  to  my  parents,  Gerald,  on  your  return  home  ? 
You  knew  where  they  lived." 

"  I  talked  the  matter  over  with  Inez/'  Gerald  replied, 
"  and  we  agreed  that  it  was  kinder  to  them  to  be  silent. 
Of  course  they  had  mourned  you  as  killed  in  the  fight 
with  the  Armada.  A  year  had  passed,  and  the  wound 
must  have  somewhat  healed.  Had  I  told  them  that  you 
had  escaped  death  at  that  time,  had  been  months  with  r.;e 
in  Spain,  and  had,  on  your  way  home,  been  either  killed 
by  the  Moors  or  were  a  prisoner  in  their  galleys,  it  would 
have  opened  the  wound  afresh,  and  caused  them  renewed 
pain  and  sorrow." 

"No  doubt  you  were  right,  Gerald,  and  that  it  was,  as 
you  say,  the  kindest  thing  to  leave  them  in  ignorance  of 
my  fate." 

Upon  the  next  visit  Sir  Francis  "\7ere  paid  to  England, 
Geoffrey  spoke  to  him  with  regard  to  Gerald  Burke's  affairs. 
Sir  Francis  took  the  matter  up  warmly,  and  his  influence 
sufficed  in  a  very  short  time  to  obtain  an  order  for  the  res 
toration  to  Gerald  of  all  his  estates.  Inez  and  Dolores 
became  as  fast  friends  as  were  their  husbands  ;  and  when 
the  Burkes  came  to  England  Geoffrey's  house  was  their 
home. 

The  meeting  with  Gerald  was  followed  by  a  still  greater 
surprise,  for  not  many  days  after,  when  Geoffrey  was  sitting 
with  his  wife  and  Don  Meudez  under  the  shade  of  a  broad 
cypress  in  the  garden  of  the  merchant's  house  at  Chelsea, 
they  saw  a  servant  coming  across  towards  them,  followed 
by  a  man  in  seafaring  attire.  "  Here  is  a  person  who 
would  speak  to  you,  Master  Vickars,"  the  servant  said. 
"I  told  him  it  was  not  your  custom  to  see  any  here,  and 
that  if  he  had  aught  to  say  he  should  call  at  your  house  in 
St.  Mary  Axe  ;  but  he  said  that  he  had  but  just  arrived 
from  Hedingham,  and  that  your  honor  would  excuse  his 
intrusion  when  you  saw  him." 

"  Bring  him  up  ;  he  may  be  the  bearer  of  a  message  from 


ST  ENGLAND'S  AID.  359 

my  father/'  Geoffrey  said  ;  and  the  servant  went  back  to 
the  man,  whom  he  had  left  a  short  distance  off. 

"Master  Vickars  will  speak  with  you." 

The  sailor  approached  the  party.  He  stood  for  a  minute 
before  Geoffrey  without  speaking.  Geoffrey  looked  at  him 
with  some  surprise,  and  saw  that  the  muscles  of  his  face 
were  twitching,  and  that  he  was  much  agitated.  As  he 
looked  at  him,  remembrance  suddenly  flashed  upon  him, 
and  he  sprang  to  his  feet.  ''Stephen  Boldero!"  he  ex 
claimed. 

"  Ay,  ay,  Geoffrey,  it  is  me." 

For  a  time  the  men  stood  with  their  right  hands  clasped 
and  the  left  on  each  other's  shoulders.  Tears  fell  down 
the  sailor's  weather-beaten  cheeks,  and  Geoffrey  himself 
was  too  moved  to  speak.  For  two  years  they  had  lived  as 
brothers,  had  shared  each  other's  toils  and  dangers,  had 
talked  over  their  plans  and  hopes  together  ;  and  it  was  to 
Stephen  that  Geoffrey  owed  it  that  he  was  not  now  a  galley- 
slave  in  Barbary. 

"  Old  friend,  where  have  you  been  all  this  time?"  he 
said  at  last.  "  I  had  thought  you  dead,  and  have  grieved 
sorely  for  you." 

"  I  have  had  some  narrow  escapes,"  Stephen  said  ;  "  but 
you  know  I  am  tough.  I  am  worth  a  good  many  dead  men 
yet." 

"  Inez,  Seiior  Mendez,  you  both  remember  Stephen  Bol 
dero  ?  "  Geoffrey  said,  turning  to  them. 

"We  have  never  forgotten  you,"  the  Spaniard  said  shak 
ing  hands  with  the  sailor,  "  nor  how  much  we  owe  to  you. 
I  sent  out  instructions  by  every  ship  that  sailed  to  the 
Indies  that  inquiries  should  be  made  for  you  ;  and  more 
over  had  letters  sent  by  influential  friends  to  the  governors 
of  most  of  the  islands  saying  that  you  had  done  great 
service  to  me  and  mine,  and  praying  that  if  you  were  in 
any  need  or  trouble  you  might  be  sent  back  to  Cadiz,  and 
that  any  moneys  you  required  might  be  given  to  you  at  my 


360  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

charge.  But  we  have  heard  naught  of  you  from  the  day 
when  the  news  came  that  you  had  left  the  ship  in  which 
you  went  out." 

"  I  have  had  a  rough  time  of  it  these  five  years,"  Stephen 
said.  "But  I  care  not  now  that  I  am  home  again  and 
have  found  my  friend  Geoffrey.  I  arrived  in  Bristol  but 
last  week,  and  started  for  London  on  the  day  I  landed, 
mindful  of  my  promise  to  let  his  people  know  that  he  was 
safe  and  well,  and  with  some  faint  hope  that  the  capture 
of  Cadiz  had  set  him  at  liberty.  I  got  to  Hedingham  last 
night,  and  if  I  had  been  a  prince  Mr.  Vickars  and  his  dame 
and  Sir  Lionel  could  not  have  made  more  of  me.  They 
were  fain  that  I  should  stop  with  them  a  day  or  two ;  but 
when  I  heard  that  you  were  in  London  and  had  married 
Senora  Dolores,  and  that  Sefior  Mendez  was  with  you — all 
of  which  in  no  way  surprised  me,  for  methought  I  saw  it 
coming  before  I  left  Cadiz — I  could  not  rest,  but  was  up 
at  daylight  this  morning.  Your  brother  offered  to  pro 
cure  me  a  horse,  but  I  should  have  made  bad  weather  on 
the  craft,  and  after  walking  from  Bristol  the  tramp  up  to 
London  was  nothing.  I  got  to  your  house  in  the  city  at 
four  ;  and,  finding  that  you  were  here,  took  a  boat  at  once, 
for  I  could  not  rest  until  I  saw  my  friend  again." 

Geoffrey  at  once  took  him  into  the  house  and  set  him 
down  to  a  meal ;  and  when  the  party  were  gathered  later  on 
in  the  sitting-room,  and  the  candles  were  lighted,  Stephen 
told  his  story. 

"  As  you  will  have  heard,  we  made  a  good  voyage  to  the 
Indies.  We  discharged  our  cargo,  and  took  in  another.  I 
learned  that  there  were  two  English  ships  cruising  near 
San  Domingo,  and  the  Dons  were  in  great  fear  of  them. 
I  thought  that  my  chance  lay  in  joining  them,  so  when  we 
were  at  our  nearest  port  to  that  island  I  one  night  bor 
rowed  one  of  the  ship's  boats  without  asking  leave,  and 
made  off.  I  knew  the  direction  in  which  San  Domingo 
lay,  but  no  more.  My  hope  was  that  I  should  either  fall 


B  T  ENGLAND '  8  AID.  361 

in  with  our  ships  at  sea,  or,  when  I  made  the  island,  should 
be  able  to  gather  such  information  as  might  guide  me  to 
them.  When  I  made  the  land,  after  being  four  days,  out 
\  cruised  about  till  the  provisions  and  water  I  had  put  on 
board  were  exhausted,  and  I  could  hold  out  no  longer. 
Then  I  made  for  the  island  and  landed. 

"  You  may  be  sure  I  did  not  make  for  a  port,  where  I 
should  be  questioned,  but  ran  ashore  in  a  wooded  bay  that 
looked  as  if  no  one  had  ever  set  foot  there  before.  I 
dragged  the  boat  up  beyond,  as  I  thought,  the  reach  of  the 
sea,  and  started  to  hunt  for  food  and  water.  I  found 
enough  berries  and  things  to  keep  me  alive,  but  not  enough 
to  stock  my  boat  for  another  cruise.  A  week  after  I 
landed  there  was  a  tornado,  and  when  it  cleared  off  and  I 
had  recovered  from  my  fright — for  the  trees  were  blown 
down  like  rushes,  and  I  thought  my  last  day  was  come — I 
found  that  the  boat  was  washed  away. 

I  was  mightily  disheartened  at  this,  and  after  mnch  think 
ing  made  up  my  mind  that  there  was  naught  for  it  but  to 
keep  along  the  shore  until  I  arrived  at  a  port,  and  then  to 
give  out  that  I  was  a  shipwrecked  sailor,  and  either  try  to 
get  hold  of  another  boat,  or  take  passage  back  to  Spain  and 
make  a  fresh  start.  However,  the  next  morning,  just  as  I 
was  starting,  a  number  of  natives  ran  out  of  the  bush  and 
seized  me,  and  carried  me  away  up  into  the  hills. 

It  was  not  pleasant  at  first,  for  they  lit  a  big  fire  and 
were  going  to  set  me  on  the  top  of  it,  taking  me  for  a 
Spaniard.  Seeing  their  intentions,  I  took  to  arguing  with 
them,  and  told  them  in  Spanish  that  I  was  no  Spaniard,  but 
an  English  man  and  that  I  had  been  a  slave  to  the  Spaniards 
and  had  escaped.  Most  of  them  understood  some  Spanish, 
having  themselves  been  made  to  work  as  slaves  in  their 
plantations,  and  being  all  runaways  from  the  tyranny  of 
their  masters.  They  knew,  of  course,  that  we  were  the 
enemies  of  the  Spaniards,  and  had  heard  of  places  being 
sacked  and  ships  taken  by  us.  But  they  doubted  my  story 


362  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

for  a  long  time,  till  at  last  one  of  them  brought  a  crucifii 
that  had  somehow  fallen  into  their  hands,  and  held  it  up 
before  me.  When  I  struck  it  down,  as  a  good  Protestant 
should  do,  they  saw  that  I  was  not  of  the  Spanish  religion, 
and  so  loosed  my  bonds  and  made  much  of  me. 

"  They  could  tell  me  nothing  of  the  whereabouts  of  our 
ships,  for  though  they  had  seen  vessels  at  times  sail  by,  the 
poor  creatures  knew  nothing  of  the  difference  of  rig  be 
tween  an  English  craft  and  a  Spaniard.  I  abode  with  them 
for  two  years,  and  aided  them  in  their  fights  whenever  the 
Spaniards  sent  out  parties,  which  they  did  many  times,  to 
capture  them.  They  were  poor,  timorous  creatures,  their 
spirits  being  altogether  broken  by  the  tyranny  of  the  Dons  ; 
but  when  they  saw  that  I  feared  them  not,  and  was  ready 
at  any  time  to  match  myself  against  two  or,  if  need  be, 
three  of  the  Spaniards,  they  plucked  up  heart,  and  in  time 
came  to  fight  so  stoutly  that  the  Spaniards  thought  it  best 
to  leave  them  alone,  seeing  that  we  had  the  advantage  of 
knowing  every  foot  of  the  woods,  and  were  able  to  pounce 
down  upon  them  when  they  were  in  straitened  places  and 
forced  to  fight  at  great  disadvantage. 

"  I  was  regarded  as  a  great  chief  by  the  natives,  and 
could  have  gone  on  living  with  them  comfortably  enough 
had  not  my  thoughts  been  always  turning  homeward,  and 
a  great  desire  to  be  among  my  own  people,  from  whom  I 
had  been  so  long  separated,  devoured  me.  At  last  a  Spanish 
ship  was  driven  ashore  in  a  gale  ;  she  went  to  pieces,  and 
every  soul  was  drowned.  When  the  gale  abated  the  natives 
went  down  to  collect  the  stores  driven  ashore,  and  I  found 
on  the  beach  one  of  her  boats  washed  up  almost  uninjured, 
so  nothing  would  do  but  I  must  sail  away  in  her.  The 
natives  tried  their  hardest  to  persuade  me  to  stay  with 
them,  but  finding  that  my  mind  was  fixed  beyond  recall 
they  gave  way  and  did  their  best  to  aid  me.  The  boat 
was  well  stored  with  provisions  ;  we  made  a  sail  for  her  out 
of  one  belonging  to  the  ship,  and  I  set  off,  promising  them 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  863 

that  if  I  could  not  alight  upon  an  English  ship  I  would 
return  to  them. 

"  I  had  intended  to  keep  my  promise,  but  things  turned 
*out  otherwise.  I  had  not  been  two  days  at  sea  when  there 
was  another  storm,  for  at  one  time  of  the  year  they  have 
tornadoes  very  frequently.  I  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  run 
for  it,  casting  much  of  my  provisions  overboard  to  lighten 
the  boat,  and  baling  without  ceasing  to  keep  out  the  water 
she  took  in.  After  running  for  many  hours  I  was,  some 
where  about  midnight,  cast  on  shore.  I  made  a  shift  to 
save  myself,  and  in  the  morning  found  that  I  was  on  a  low 
key.  Here  I  lived  for  three  weeks.  Fortunately  there 
was  water  i:  some  of  the  hollows  of  the  rocks,  and  as  tur 
tles  came  ashore  to  lay  their  eggs  I  managed  pretty  well 
for  a  time  ;  but  the  water  dried  up,  and  for  the  last  week 
I  had  naught  to  drink  but  the  blood  of  the  turtles. 

One  morning  I  saw  a  ship  passing  not  far  off,  and  mak 
ing  a  signal  with  the  mast  of  the  boat  that  had  been 
washed  ashore  with  me  I  attracted  their  attention.  I  saw 
that  she  was  a  Spaniard,  but  I  could  not  help  that,  for  I 
had  no  choice  but  to  hail  her.  They  took  me  to  Porto 
Rico  and  there  reported  rne  as  a  shipwrecked  sailor  they  had 
picked  up.  The  governor  questioned  me  closely  as  to 
what  vessel  I  had  been  lost  from,  and  although  I  made  up 
a  good  story  he  had  his  doubts.  Fortunately  it  did  not 
enter  his  mind  that  I  was  not  a  Spaniard  ;  but  he  said  he 
believed  I  was  some  bad  character  who  had  been  marooned 
by  my  comrades  for  murder  or  some  other  crime,  and  so 
put  me  in  prison  until  he  could  learn  something  that  would 
verify  my  story. 

"  After  three  months  I  was  taken  out  of  prison,  but  was 
set  to  work  on  the  fortifications,  and  there  for  another  two 
years  I  had  to  stop.  Then  I  managed  to  slip  away  one 
day,  and,  hiding  till  nightfall,  made  my  way  down  through 
the  town  to  the  quays  and  swam  out  to  a  vessel  at  anchor. 
I  climbed  on  board  without  notice,  and  hid  myself  below, 


8G4  BY  ENGLAND ' 8  AID. 

where  I  lay  for  two  days  until  she  got  tip  sail.  When  I 
judged  she  was  well  away  from  the  land  I  went  on  deck 
and  told  my  story,  that  I  was  a  shipwrecked  sailor  who 
had  been  forced  by  the  governor  to  work  at  the  fortifica 
tions.  They  did  not  believe  me,  saying  that  I  must  be 
some  criminal  who  had  escaped  from  justice,  and  the  cap 
tain  said  he  should  give  me  up  at  the  next  port  the  ship 
touched.  Fortunately  four  days  afterwards  a  sail  hove  in 
sight  and  gave  chase,  and  before  it  was  dark  was  near 
enough  to  fire  a  gun  and  make  us  heave  to,  and  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  later  a  boat  came  alongside,  and  I  again  heard 
English  spoken  for  the  first  time  since  I  had  left  yon  at 
Cadiz. 

"  It  was  an  English  buccaneer,  who,  being  short  of  water 
and  fresh  vegetables,  had  chased  us,  though  seeing  we  were 
but  a  petty  trader  and  not  likely  to  have  aught  else  worth 
taking  on  board.  They  wondered  much  when  I  discovered 
myself  to  them  and  told  them  who  I  was  and  how  I  had 
come  there  ;  and  when,  on  their  rowing  me  on  board  their 
ship,  I  told  the  captain  my  story  he  told  me  that  he  thought 
I  was  the  greatest  liar  he  had  ever  met.  To  be  a  galley- 
slave  among  the  Spaniards,  a  galley-slave  among  the 
Moors,  a  consorter  with  Indians  for  two  years,  and  again 
a  prisoner  with  the  Spaniards  for  as  much  more,  was  more 
than  fell  to  the  lot  of  any  one  man,  and  he,  like  the  Span 
ish  governor,  believed  that  I  was  some  rascal  who  had  been 
marooned,  only  he  thought  that  it  was  from  an  English 
ship.  However,  he  said  that  as  I  was  a  stout  fellow  he 
would  give  me  another  chance  ;  and  when,  a  fortnight 
later,  we  fell  in  with  a  great  Spanish  galleon  and  captured 
her  with  a  great  store  of  prize-money  after  a  hard  fight  for 
six  hours,  the  last  of  which  was  passed  on  the  deck  of 
the  Spaniard  cutting  and  slashing — for,  being  laden  with 
silver,  she  had  a  company  of  troops  on  board  in  addition 
to  her  crew — the  captain  said,  that  though  an  astonish 
ing  liar  there  was  no  better  fellow  on  board  a  ship,  and, 


B  Y  ENGLAND '  S  AID.  365 

putting  it  to  the  crew,  they  agreed  I  had  well  earned  my 
share  of  the  prize-money.  When  we  had  got  the  silver  on 
board,  which  was  a  heavy  job  I  can  tell  you,  though  not 
an  unpleasant  one,  we  put  what  Spaniards  remained  alive 
into  the  boats,  fired  the  galleon,  and  set  sail  for  England, 
where  we  arrived  without  adventure. 

The  silver  was  divided  on  the  day  before  we  cast  anchor, 
the  owner's  share  being  first  set  aside,  every  man  his  share, 
and  the  officers  theirs  in  proportion.  Mine  came  to  over 
a  thousand  pounds,  and  it  needed  t\\x  strong  men  to  carry 
the  chest  up  to  the  office  of  the  owners,  who  gave  me  a  re 
ceipt  for  it,  which,  as  soon  p.s  I  got,  I  started  for  London  ; 
and  here,  as  you  see,  I  am. 

"  And  now,  what  do  you  propose  to  do  with  yourself, 
Stephen  ?"  Geoffrey  asked. 

"  I  shall  first  travel  down  again  to  Devonshire  and  see 
what  friends  I  have  remaining  there.  I  do  not  expect  to 
find  many  alive,  for  fifteen  years  make  many  changes.  My 
father  and  mother  were  both  dead  before  I  started,  and  my 
uncle,  with  whom  I  lived  for  a  time,  is  scarce  like  to  be 
alive  now.  Still  I  may  find  some  cousins  and  friends  I 
knew  as  a  boy/' 

"I  should  think  you  have  had  enough  of  the  sea, 
Stephen,  and  you  have  now  ample  to  live  ashore  in  com 
fort  for  the  rest  of  your  .  Je/' 

"  Yes,  I  shall  go  no  more  to  sea,"  Stephen  said.  "  Ex 
cept  for  this  last  stroke  of  luck  fortune  has  always  been 
against  me.  What  I  should  like,  Master  Geoffrey,  most  of 
all,  would  be  to  come  up  and  work  under  you.  I  could  be 
of  advantage  in  seeing  to  the  loading  and  unloading  vessels 
and  the  storage  of  cargo.  As  for  pay,  I  should  not  want 
it,  having,  as  you  say,  enough  to  live  comfortably  upon. 
Still  I  should  like  to  be  with  you." 

"And  I  should  like  to  have  you  with  me,  Stephen. 
Nothing  would  give  me  greater  pleasure.  If  you  are  still 
of  that  mind  when  you  return  from  Devonshire  we  can 


COG  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

again  talk  the  matter  over,,  and  as  our  wishes  are  both  the 
same  way  we  can  have  no  difficulty  in  coming  to  an  agree 
ment." 

Stephen  Boldero  remained  for  a  week  in  London  and 
then  journeyed  down  to  Devonshire.  His  idea  of  entering 
Geoffrey's  service  was  never  carried  out,  for  after  he  had 
been  gone  two  months  Geoffrey  received  a  letter  from  him 
saying  that  one  of  his  cousins,  who  had  been  but  a  little 
girl  when  he  went  away,  had  laid  her  orders  upon  him  to 
buy  a  small  estate  and  settle  down  there,  and  that  as  she 
was  willing  to  marry  him  on  no  other  terms  he  had  noth 
ing  to  do  but  to  assent. 

Once  a  year,  however,  regularly  to  the  end  of  his  life 
Stephen  Boldero  came  up  to  London  to  stay  for  a  fort 
night  with  Geoffrey,  always  coming  by  road,  for  he  de 
clared  that  he  was  convinced  if  he  set  foot  on  board  a  ship 
again  she  would  infallibly  be  wrecked  on  her  voyage  to 
London. 


B  T  ENGLAND '  S  AID.  867 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THE   SIEGE   OF   OSTEXD. 

ON"  the  5th  of  July,  1601,  the  Archduke  Albert  began 
the  siege  of  Ostend  with  20,000  men  and  50  siege-guns. 
Ostend  had  been  completely  rebuilt  and  fortified  eighteen 
years  previously,  and  was  defended  by  ramparts,  counter 
scarps,  and  two  broad  ditches.  The  sand-hills  between  it 
and  the  sea  were  cut  through,  and  the  water  filled  the 
ditches  and  surrounded  the  town.  To  the  south  the 
country  was  intersected  by  a  network  of  canals.  The 
river  Yper-Leet  came  l.i  at  the  back  of  the  town,  and  after 
mingling  with  the  salt  water  in  the  ditches  found  its  way 
to  the  sea  through  the  channels  known  as  the  Old  Haven 
and  the  Geule,  the  first  on  the  west,  the  second  on  the 
east  of  the  town. 

On  either  side  of  these  channels  the  land  rose  slightly, 
enabling  the  besiegers  to  plant  their  batteries  in  very  ad 
vantageous  positions.  The  garrison  at  first  consisted  of 
but  2000  men  under  Governor  Vander  Nood.  The  States- 
general  considered  the  defense  of  Ostend  to  be  of  extreme 
importance  to  the  cause,  and  appointed  Sir  Francis  Vere 
general  of  the  army  in  and  about  Ostend,  and  sent  with 
him  600  Dutch  troops  and  eight  companies  of  English 
under  the  command  of  his  brother,  Sir  Horace.  This 
raised  the  garrison  to  the  strength  of  3600  men.  Sir 
Francis  landed  with  these  reinforcements  on  the  sands 
opposite  the  old  town,  which  stood  near  the  seashore  be- 
ween  the  Old  Haven  and  the  Geule,  and  was  separated 
from  the  new  town  by  a  broad  channel.  He  was  forced  to 


368 


BY  E 


AID. 


land  here,  as  the  Spanish  guns  on  the  sand-hills  com 
manded  the  entrances  of  the  two  channels. 

Sixteen  thousand  of  the  Spanish  troops  under  the  order 
of  the  archduke  were  encamped  to  the  west  of  the  town, 
and  had  30  of  their  siega-guns  in  position  there,  while 
4000  men  were  stationed  on  the  east  of  the  town  under 
Count  Bucquoy.  Ten  guns  wen  in  position  on  that  side. 


Ostend  had  no  natural  advantages  for  defense  beyond  the 
facility  of  letting  the  sea  into  the  numerous  channels  and 
ditches  which  intersected  the  city,  and  protected  it  from 
any  operations  on  the  south  side.  On  the  east  the  Geule 
was  broad  and  deep,  and  an  assault  from  this  side  was  very 
difficult.  The  Old  Haven,  on  the  west  side,  was  fast  fill 
ing  up,  and  was  fordable  for  four  hours  every  tide. 
This,  therefore,  was  the  weak  side  of  the  town.  The 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  369 

portion  especially  exposed  to  attack  was  the  low  sandy  flat 
on  which  the  old  town  stood,  to  the  north  of  Ostend.  It 
was  against  this  point,  separated  only  from  the  enemy's 
position  by  the  shallow  Old  Haven,  that  the  Spaniards 
concentrated  their  efforts.  The  defense  here  consisted  of 
a  work  called  the  Porc-Espic,  anc  ^  bastion  in  its  rear 
called  the  Helmond  These  works  lay  to  the  north  of  thf 
ditch  dividing  the  old  from  the  new  town,  while  on  tnt 
opposite  side  of  this  ditch  was  a  fort  called  the  Sand-hill, 
from  which  along  the  sea  face  of  the  town  ran  strong  pali 
sades  and  bastions. 

The  three  principal  bastions  were  named  the  Schotten- 
burg,  Moses'  Table,  and  the  Flamenburg,  the  last-named 
defending  the  entrance  to  the  Geule  on  the  eastern  side. 
There  was  a  strong  wall  with  tr  _«e  bastions,  the  North 
Bulwark,  the  East  Bulwark  or  Pekell,  and  the  Spanish 
Bulwark  at  the  southeast  angle,  Avith  an  outwork  called 
the  Spanish  Half-moon  on  the  other  side  of  the  Geule. 
The  south  side  was  similarly  defended  by  a  wall  with  four 
strong  bastions,  while  beyond  these  at  the  southwest  cor 
ner  lay  a  field  called  the  Polder,  extending  to  the  point 
where  the  Yper-Leet  ran  into  the  ditches. 

Sir  Francis  Vere's  first  step  after  his  arrival  was  to  throw 
up  three  redoubts  to  strengthen  the  wall  round  this  field, 
as  had  the  enemy  taken  possession  of  it  they  might  have 
set  the  windmills  upon  it  to  work  and  have  drained  out 
many  of  the  ditches.  Having  secured  this  point  he  cut  a 
passage  to  the  sea  between  the  Northwest  Bulwark  and 
the  Flamenburg  Fort,  so  that  shipping  might  enter  the 
port  without  having  to  ascend  the  Geule,  exposed  to  the 
fire  of  the  Spanish  guns.  To  annoy  the  enemy  and  draw 
them  away  from  the  vital  point  near  the  sea,  he  then 
stationed  200  men  on  some  rising  ground  surrounded  by 
swamps  and  ditches  at  some  distance  to  the  south  of  the 
city,  and  from  here  they  were  able  to  open  fire  on  the 
enemy's  boats  coming  w:.th  supplies  from  Bruges- 


S70  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

The  operation  was  successful.  The  Spaniards,  finding 
their  line  of  communication  threatened,  advanced  in  force 
from  their  position  by  the  sea,  and  their  forts  opened  a 
heavy  fire  on  the  little  work  thrown  up.  Other  similar 
attempts  would  have  been  made  to  harass  the  Spaniards 
:md  divert  them  from  their  main  work,  had  not  Sir  Francis 
A'ere  been  severely  wounded  in  the  head  on  the  4th  of 
August  by  a  shot  from  the  Spanish  batteries,  which  con 
tinued  to  keep  up  a  tremendous  fire  upon  the  town.  So 
serious  was  the  wound  that  the  surgeons  were  of  opinion 
that  the  only  chance  of  saving  his  life  was  to  send  him 
away  from  the  din  and  turmoil  of  the  siege  ;  and  on  the 
10th  he  was  taken  to  Middleburg,  where  he  remained  for  a 
month,  returning  to  Ostend  long  before  his  wound  was 
properly  healed. 

On  the  1st  of  August  a  batch  of  recruits  had  arrived 
from  England,  and  on  the  8th  1200  more  were  landed. 
The  fire  of  the  besiegers  was  now  so  heavy  that  the  soldiers 
were  forced  to  dig  underground  quarters  to  shelter  them 
selves.  Sir  Horace  Yere  led  out  several  sorties  ;  but  the 
besiegers,  no  longer  distracted  by  the  feints  contrived  by 
Sir  Francis,  succeeded  in  erecting  a  battery  on  the  margin 
of  the  Old  Haven,  and  opened  fire  on  the  Sand-hill  Fort. 

On  the  19th  of  September  Sir  Francis  Vere  returned  to 
the  town,  to  the  great  joy  of  the  garrison.  Reinforce 
ments  continued  to  arrive,  and  at  this  time  the  garrison 
numbered  4480.  There  were,  too,  a  large  number  of 
noblemen  and  gentlemen  from  England,  France,  and  Hol 
land,  who  had  come  to  learn  the  art  of  war  under  the 
man  who  was  regarded  as  the  greatest  general  of  the  time. 
All  who  were  willing  to  work  and  learn  were  heartily 
welcomed  ;  those  who  were  unwilling  to  do  so  were  soon 
made  to  feel  that  a  besieged  city  was  no  place  for  them. 

While  the  fighting  was  going  on  the  archduke  had  at 
tempted  to  capture  the  place  by  treason.  He  engaged  a 
traite**  named  Coningsby ;  who  crossed  to  England,  ol>- 


B  Y  ENGLAND 'S  AID.  371 

tained  lett*.. .  .  introduction  to  Vere,  and  then  went  to 
Ostend.  Thence  he  sent  intelligence  to  the  besiegers  of 
all  that  took  place  in  the  town,  placing  his  letters  at  night 
in  an  old  boat  sunk  in  the  mud  on  the  bank  of  the  Old 
Haven,  a  Spaniard  wading  across  at  low  tide  and  fetching 
them  away.  He  then  attempted  to  bribe  a  sergeant  tc 
blow  up  the  powder  magazine.  The  sergeant  revealed  the 
plot.  Coningsby  was  seized  and  confessed  everything,  and 
by  an  act  of  extraordinary  clemency  was  only  sentenced  to 
be  whipped  out  of  town. 

This  act  of  treachery  on  the  part  of  the  archduke  justi 
fied  the  otherwise  dishonorable  stratagem  afterwards  played 
by  Vere  upon  him.  All  through  October  and  November 
the  Spaniards  were  hard  at  work  advancing  their  batteries, 
sinking  great  baskets  filled  with  sand  in  the  Old  Haven  to 
facilitate  the  passage  of  the  troops,  and  building  floating 
batteries  in  the  Geule.  On  the  night  of  the  4th  of  Decem 
ber  they  advanced  suddenly  to  the  attack.  Vere  and  his 
officers  leapt  from  their  beds  and  rushed  to  the  walls,  and 
after  a  fierce  struggle  the  besiegers  were  driven  back. 
Straw  was  lighted  to  enable  the  musketeers  and  gunners  to 
fire  upon  them  as  they  retreated,  and  the  assault  cost  them 
five  hundred  lives. 

On  the  12th  a  hard  frost  set  in,  and  until  Christmas  a 
strong  gale  from  the  southeast  blew.  No  succor  could 
reach  the  town.  The  garrison  were  dwindling  fast,  and 
ammunition  fulling  short.  It  required  fully  4000  men  to 
guard  the  walls  and  forts,  while  but  2500  remained  capa 
ble  of  bearing  arms.  It  was  known  that  the  archduke 
soon  intended  to  make  an  assault  with  his  whole  force, 
and  Vere  knew  that  he  could  scarcely  hope  to  repel  it. 
He  called  a  council  of  his  chief  officers,  and  asked  their 
opinion  whether  with  the  present  numbers  all  parts  of  the 
works  could  be  manned  in  case  of  assault,  and  if  not 
whether  it  was  advisable  to  withdraw  the  guards  from  all 
the  outlying  positions  and  to  hold  only  the  town. 


372  S Y  ENGLAND '  a  AID. 

They  were  unanimously  of  opinion  that  the  force  was 
ioo  small  to  defend  the  whole,  but  Sir  Horace  Vere  and 
Sir  John  Ogle  alone  gave  their  advice  to  abandon  the  out 
lying  forts  rather  than  endanger  the  loss  of  the  town. 
The  other  officers  were  of  opinion  that  all  the  works 
should  be  held,  although  they  acknowledged  that  the  dis 
posal  force  was  incapable  of  doing  so.  Some  days  elapsed, 
and  Vere  learned  that  the  Spanish  preparations  were  all 
complete,  and  that  they  were  only  waiting  for  a  low  tide 
to  attack.  Time  was  everything,  for  a  change  of  wind 
would  bring  speedy  succor,  so  without  taking  council 
with  any  one  he  sent  Sir  John  Ogle  with  a  drummer  to  the 
side  of  the  Old  Haven. 

Don  Mateo  Serrano  came  forward,  and  Ogle  gave  his 
message,  which  was  that  General  Vere  wished  to  have 
some  qualified  person  speak  to  him.  This  was  reported 
to  the  archduke,  who  agreed  that  Serrano  and  another 
Spanish  officer  should  go  into  the  town,  and  that  Ogle  and 
a  comrade  should  come  as  hostages  into  the  Spanish  camp. 
Sir  John  Ogle  took  his  friend  Sir  Charles  Fairfax  with 
him,  and  Serrano  and  Colonel  Antonio  crossed  into  Ostend. 
The  two  Englishmen  were  conducted  to  the  archduke, 
who  asked  Sir  John  Ogle  to  tell  him  if  there  was  any  de 
ceit  in  the  matter.  Ogle  answered  if  there  were  it  was 
more  than  he  knew,  for  Vere  had  simply  charged  him  to 
carry  the  message,  and  that  he  and  Fairfax  had  merely 
come  as  hostages  for  the  safe  return  of  the  Spanish  officers. 

Ogle  was  next  asked  whether  he  thought  the  general  in 
tended  sincerely  or  not,  and  could  only  reply  that  he  was 
altogether  unacquainted  with  the  general's  purpose. 

The  next  morning  Serrano  and  Antonio  returned  with 
out  having  seen  Vere.  The  pretext  on  which  they  had 
been  sent  back  was  that  there  was  some  irregularity  in 
their  coming  across  ;  but  instead  of  their  being  sent  back 
across  the  Old  Haven  they  were  sent  across  the  Geule,  and 
had  to  make  a  long  round  to  regain  the  archduke's  camp. 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  373 

Thus  ad  il  a  night  were  gained.  The  next  day, 
towards  evening*,  the  two  Spanish  officers  were  admitted 
*into  Ostend,  and  received  very  hospitably  by  Sir  Francis. 
After  supper  many  healths  were  drunk,  and  then  Sir 
Francis  informed  them  to  their  astonishment  that  his 
proposal  was  not  that  he  should  surrender  Ostend,  but 
that  the  archduke  should  raise  the  siege.  But  it  was  now 
far  too  late  for  them  to  return,  and  they  went  to  bed  in 
the  general's  quarters.  During  the  two  nights  thus  gained 
the  defenders  had  worked  incessantly  in  repairing  the 
palisades  facing  the  point  at  which  the  attack  would  take 
place,  a  work  that  they  had  hitherto  been  unable  to  per 
form  owing  to  the  tremendous  fire  that  the  Spaniards  kept 
up  night  and  day  upon  it. 

At  break  of  day  five  men-of-war  from  Zeeland  came  to 
anchor  off  the  town.  They  brought  four  hundred  men, 
and  provisions  and  materials  of  war  of  all  kinds.  They 
were  immediately  landed  under  a  heavy  fire  from  the 
enemy's  batteries  on  both  sides.  The  firing  awoke  the 
two  Spanish  envoys,  who  inquired  what  was  taking  place. 
They  were  politely  informed  by  Sir  Francis  Yere  that 
succor  had  arrived,  and  the  negotiations  were  of  course 
broken  off  ;  and  they  were  accordingly  sent  back,  while 
Ogle  and  Fairfax  returned  to  Ostend. 

Vere's  account  of  the  transaction  was  that  he  had 
simply  asked  for  two  Spanish  officers  to  speak  with  him. 
He  had  offered  no  terms,  and  there  was  therefore  no  breach 
of  faith.  The  commander  of  a  besieged  town,  he  insisted, 
is  always  at  liberty  to  propose  a  parley,  which  the  enemy 
can  accept  or  not  as  he  chooses.  At  any  rate,  it  was  not 
for  the  archduke,  who  had  hired  a  traitor  to  corrupt  the 
garrison,  to  make  a  complaint  of  treachery. 

Twelve  hundred  men  were  employed  for  the  next  eight 
days  in  strengthening  the  works,  Sir  Francis  being  always 
with  them  at  night,  when  the  water  was  low,  encouraging 
them  by  his  presence  and  example. 


374  -B  T  ENGLAND '  5  AID. 

Early  in  January  lie  learned  that  the  enemy  were  pre 
paring  for  tb<3  assault,  and  on  the  ?th  a  crushing  fire  was 
kept  up  on  the  Porc-Espic,  Helmond  and  Sand-hiil  forts. 
The  Spaniards  had  by  this  time  fired  163,200  cannon-shot 
into  the  town,  and  scarcely  a  whole  house  was  left  stand 
ing.  Towards  evening  they  were  seen  bringing  scaling- 
ladders  to  the  opposite  bank  of  the  Haven.  Two  thou 
sand  Italian  and  Spanish  troops  had  been  told  off  to  attack 
the  sand-hill,  two  thousand  were  to  assault  Helmond  and 
the  Porc-Espic,  two  parties  of  five  hundred  men  each  were 
to  attack  other  works,  while  on  the  east  side  Count  Buc- 
quoy  was  to  deliver  a  general  assault. 

The  English  general  watched  all  these  preparations  with 
the  greatest  vigilance.  At  high  water  he  closed  the  west 
sluice,  which  let  the  water  into  the  town  ditch  from  the 
Old  Haven,  in  the  rear  of  Helmond,  in  order  to  retain  as 
much  water  as  possible,  and  stationed  his  troops  at  the 
various  points  most  threatened.  Sir  Horace  Vere  and  Sir 
Charles  Fairfax,  with  twelve  weak  companies,  some  of 
them  reduced  to  ten  or  twelve  men,  were  stationed  on  the 
sand-hill. 

Four  of  the  strongest  companies  garrisoned  the  Porc- 
Espic  ;  ten  weak  companies  and  nine  cannon  loaded  with 
musket  bullets  defended  the  Helmond.  These  posts  were 
commanded  by  Sergeant-major  Carpenter  and  Captain 
Meetkerk  ;  the  rest  of  the  force  were  disposed  at  the  other 
threatened  points.  Sir  Francis  himself,  with  Sir  Lionel 
Vickars  as  his  right  hand,  took  his  post  on  the  wall  of  the 
old  town,  between  the  sand-hill  and  the  Schottenburg, 
which  had  been  much  damaged  by  the  action  of  the  waves 
during  the  gales  and  by  the  enemy's  shot.  Barrels  of  ashes, 
heaps  of  stones  and  bricks,  hoops  bound  with  squibs  and 
fireworks,  ropes  of  pitch,  hand-grenades,  and  barrels  of 
nails  were  collected  in  readiness  to  hurl  down  upon  the 
assailants. 

At  dusk  the  besiegers  ceased  firing,  to  allow  the  guns  f° 


BY  ENGLAND'S  AID.  375 

cool.  Two  engineer  officers  with  fifty  stoat  sappers,  who 
each  iiad  a  rose-noble  for  every  quarter  of  an  hour's  work, 
got  on  to  the  breach  in  front  of  the  sand-hill,  and  threw 
up  a  small  breastAvork,  strengthened  by  palisades,  across 
it.  An  officer  crept  down  towards  the  Old  Haven,  and 
presently  returned  with  the  news  that  two  thousand  of  the 
enemy  were  wading  across,  and  forming  up  in  battalions 
on  the  Ostend  side. 

Suddenly  a  gun  boomed  out  from  the  archduke's  camp 
as  a  signal  to  Bucquoy,  and  just  as  the  night  had  fairly 
set  in  the  besiegers  rushed  to  the  assault  from  all  points. 
They  were  received  by  a  tremendous  fire  from  the  guns  of 
the  forts  and  the  muskets  of  the  soldiers  ;  but,  although  the 
effect  was  serious,  they  did  not  hesitate  a  moment,  but 
dashed  forward  towards  the  foot  of  the  sand-hill  and  the  wall 
of  the  old  town,  halted  for  a  moment,  poured  in  a  volley,  and 
then  rushed  into  the  breach  and  against  the  walls.  The 
volley  had  been  harmless,  for  Vere  had  ordered  the  men 
to  lie  flat  until  it  was  given.  As  the  Spaniards  climbed 
up  barrels  of  ashes  were  emptied  upon  them,  stones  and 
heavy  timbers  hurled  down,  and  flaming  hoops  cast  over 
their  necks.  Three  times  they  climbed  to  the  crest  of  the 
sand-hill,  and  as  many  times  gained  a  footing  on  the 
Schottenburg  ;  but  each  time  they  were  beaten  back  with 
great  slaughter.  As  fiercely  did  they  attack  at  the  other 
points,  but  were  everywhere  repulsed. 

On  the  east  side  three  strong  battalions  of  the  enemy 
;'  tacked  the  outwork  across  the  Geule,  known  as  the 
Spanish  Half-moon.  Yere,  who  was  everywhere  supervis 
ing  the  defense,  ordered  the  weak  garrison  there  to  with 
draw,  and  sent  a  soldier  out  to  give  himself  up,  and  to  tell 
them  that  the  Half-moon  was  slenderly  manned,  and  to 
offer  to  lead  them  in.  The  offer  was  accepted,  and  the 
Spaniards  took  possession  of  the  work. 

The  general's  object  was  to  occupy  them,  and  prevent 
their  supporting  their  comrades  in  the  western  attack. 


376  BY  ENGLAND'S  AID. 

The  Half-moon,  indeed,  was  quite  open  towards  the  town. 
Tide  was  rising,  and  a  heavy  fire  was  opened  upon  the 
captora  of  the  work  from  the  batteries  across  the  Geule, 
and  they  were  driven  out  with  the  loss  of  three  hundred 
men.  At  length  the  assault  was  repulsed  at  all  points,  and 
the  assailants  began  1:  retire  across  the  Old  Haven.  No 
sooner  did  they  begin  to  ford  it  than  Vere  opened  the  west 
sluice,  and  the  water  in  the  town  ditch  rushed  down  ir  a 
torrent,  carry  ing  numbers  of  the  Spaniards  away  into  the  sea. 

Altogether,  the  assault  cost  the  Spaniards  two  thousand 
men.  An  enormous  amount  of  plunder  in  arms,  gold 
chains,  jewels,  and  rich  garments  were  obtained  by  the  de 
fenders  frm  the  bodies  of  the  fallen.  The  loss  of  the 
garrison  was  only  thirty  killed  and  a  hundred  wounded. 

The  repulse  of  the  grand  attack  upon  Ostend  by  no 
means  put  an  end  to  the  siege.  Sir  Francis  Vere,  his 
brother  Horace,  Sir  John  Ogle,  and  Sir  Lionel  Vickars 
left,  the  general  being  summoned  to  assume  command 
in  the  field  ;  but  the  siege  continued  for  two  years  and  a 
half  longer.  Many  assaults  were  repulsed  during  that 
time,  and  the  town  surrendered  on  the  20th  September, 
1604,  when  the  sand-hill,  which  was  the  key  of  the  whole 
position,  was  at  last  captured  by  the  Spaniards. 

It  was  but  a  heap  of  ruins  that  they  had  become  possessed 
of  after  their  three  years*  siege,  and  its  capture  had  not 
only  cost  them  an  immense  number  of  men  and  a  vast 
amount  of  money,  but  the  long  and  gallant  defense  had 
;:cured  upon  a  firm  basis  the  independence  of  Holland. 
\Vhile  the  whole  available  force  of  Spain  had  been  so  oc 
cupied  Prince  Maurice  and  his  English  allies  had  captured 
town  after  town,  and  had  beaten  the  enemy  whenever  they 
attempted  to  show  themselves  in  the  open  field.  They 
had  more  than  counterbalanced  the  loss  of  Ostend  by  the 
recapture  of  Sluys,  and  had  so  lowered  the  Spanish  pride 
that  not  long  afterwards  a  twelve  years'  truce  was  con 
cluded,  which  virtually  brought  the  war  to  an  end,  and 
secured  for  ever  the  independence  of  Holland. 


BT  ENGLAND'S  AID.  377 

During  the  last  year  or  two  of  the  war  Sir  Francis  Vere, 
worn  out  by  his  fatigues  and  the  countless  wounds  he  had 
v  received  in  the  service  of  the  Netherlands,  had  resigned 
his  command  and  retired  to  England,  being  succeeded  in 
his  position  by  Sir  Horace.  Lionel  Vickars  fought  no 
more  after  he  had  borne  his  part  in  the  repulse  of  the 
great  assault  against  Ostend.  He  had  barely  recovered 
from  the  effect  of  the  wound  he  had  received  at  the  battle 
of  Nieuport,  and  the  fatigues  and  anxiety  of  the  siege,  to 
gether  with  the  damp  air  from  the  marshes,  brought  on 
a  serious  attack  of  fever,  which  completely  prostrated  him 
as  soon  as  the  necessity  for  exertion  had  passed.  He  re 
mained  some  weeks  at  the  Hague,  and  then,  being  some 
what  recovered,  returned  home. 

While  throughout  all  England  the  greatest  enthusiasm 
had  been  aroused  by  the  victory  of  Nieuport  and  the  re 
pulse  of  the  Spaniards  at  Ostend,  the  feeling  was  naturally 
higher  in  the  Vere's  county  of  Essex  than  elsewhere.  As 
soon  as  Lionel  V'okars  was  well  enough  to  take  any  share 
in  gayeties  he  received  many  invitations  to  stay  at  the  great 
houses  of  the  country,  where  most  of  the  gentry  were  more 
or  less  closely  connected  with  the  Veres  ;  and  before  he 
had  been  home  many  months  he  married  Dorothy  Wind- 
hurst,  one  of  the  richest  heiresses  in  the  country,  and  a 
cousin  of  the  Veres.  Thus  Geoffrey  had,  after  Juan 
Mendez  retired  from  taking  any  active  part  in  the  business, 
to  work  alone  until  his  sons  were  old  enough  to  join  him 
in  the  business.  As  soon  as  they  were  able  to  undertake 
its  active  management,  Geoff ery  bought  an  estate  near 
Hedingham,  and  there  settled  down,  journeying  occasion 
ally  to  London  to  see  how  the  affairs  of  the  house  went  on, 
and  to  give  advice  to  his  sons.  Dolores  had,  two  or  three 
years  after  her  arrival  in  England,  embraced  the  faith  of 
her  husband  ;  and  although  she  complained  a  little  at  times 
of  the  English  climate,  she  never  once  regretted  the  step 
she  had  taken  in  leaving  her  native  Spain. 


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Bonnie  Prince  Charlie.    A  Tale  of 

Fontonoy  and  Cuiloden. 
Boy  Knight,  The.     A  Tale  of  the 

Crusades. 
Bravest  of  the  Brave,  The.    With 

Peterborough  In  Spain. 
By  England's  Aid  j  or,  The  Freeing 

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By  Pike  and  Dyke.     A  Tale  of  the 

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the  Gold  Field*  of  California. 
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Cornet  of  Horso,  The.     A  Tale  of 

Marlborough's  Wars. 
Dragon  and  tiie  Raven ;  or,  The  Days 

ofKing  Alfred. 
Facing  Death.   A  Tale  of  the  Coal 

Mines. 
Final  Reckoning,  A.    A  Tale  of  Bush 

Life  in  Australia. 
For  Name  and  Fame;  or,  Through 

Afghan  Passes. 
For  the  Temple.  A  Tale  of  the  Fall 

of  Jerusalem. 
Friends,  Though  Divided.     A  Tale 

of  the  Civil  War  in  England. 
Golden  Canon,  The. 
In  Freedom's  Cause.     A  Story  of 

Wallace  and  Bruce. 
In  the  Reign  of  Terror.  Adventures 

of  a  Westminster  Boy. 
In  Times  of  Peril.    A  Tale  of  India. 
Jack  Archer.  A  Tale  of  the  Crimea. 


Lion  of  St.  Hark,  The.  A  Story  of 
Venice  in  the  Fourteenth  Century. 

Lion  of  the  North.  The,  A  Tale  of 
Gustavus  Adolphus  and  Wars  of 
Religion. 

Lost  Heir,  The. 

Maori  and  Settler.  A  Story  of  the 
New  Zealand  War. 

One  of  the  28th.  A  Tale  of  Water 
loo. 

Orange  and  Green.  A  Tale  of  the 
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Out  on  the  Pampas.  A  Tale  of  South 
America. 

St.  George  for  England.  A  Tale  of 
Cressy  and  Poinei  s. 

Sturdy  and  Stronp ;  or,  How  George 
Andrews  Made  His  Way. 

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Luddite  Riot* 

True  to  the  Old  Flag.  A  Tale  of  the 
American  War  of  Indppendence. 

Under  Drake's  Flag.  A  Tale  of  the 
Spanish  Main. 

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With  Lee  in  Virginia.  A  Story  of 
the  American  Civil  War. 

With  Wolfe  in  Canada ;  or,  The  Win 
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Young  Buglers.  The.  A  Tale  of  the 
Peninsular  War. 

Young  Carthaginian,  The.  A  Story 
of  the  Times  of  Hannibal. 

Young  Colonists,  The.  A  Story  of 
Life  and  War  in  Sonth  Africa. 

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of  the  Franco-Prussian  War. 

Young  Midshipman,  The.  A  Tale  of 
the  Siege  of  Alexandria. 


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